Senator Chuck Grassley made the following comment regarding the number of H-1B visa applications expected to be filed today, the first day the federal government begins accepting new H-1B petitions. Grassley and Senator Dick Durbin are authors of legislation to overhaul the H-1B and L-1 visa programs to give priority to American workers and crack down on unscrupulous employers who deprive qualified Americans of high-skill jobs. They introduced legislation in 2007 and expect to introduce a bill in the coming days.
“It only makes sense that we would see fewer applications this year. The H-1B visa was intended to be used only as a temporary measure when qualified Americans weren’t available for highly specialized jobs. With unemployment at rates higher than we’ve seen in decades, there is no shortage of people looking for work, so companies should need less H-1B visas than last year.”