H1B Visa: New Bill Calls For Revoking Donald Trump Administration’s Proposed H4 Visa Changes

The Donald Trump led administration is reportedly planning to bring out changes in the US H4 visa policy that will make the spouses of H1B visa holders no longer eligible for work in the country. It is expected that the change in the H4 rules could affect as many as 70,000 people.

Taking note of the issue, two lawmakers Anna G Eshoo and Zoe Lofgren have introduced legislation in the US Congress seeking to cease the Donald Trump administration from revoking the work authorization of H1-B visa holder’s spouses. Giving the reason behind the same, the lawmakers claimed that eliminating the benefit would force many foreign workers to either split up their families or return to their home countries and use their talents to compete against US-based businesses.

Notably, the H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa used by the US companies to hire foreign workers specialized in occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. H-4 visas are issued only to spouses and children of H-1B visa holders.

The introduction of the H-4 Employment Protection Act comes amid announcement by the Trump administration that it is planning to revoke an Obama-era rule that allowed spouses of H-1B visa holders to work.

On introducing the bill in the House, Eshoo and Lofgren said that the rule passed by former President Barrack Obama helped in improving the US’ competitiveness and lessening the economic burden on thousands of H-1B workers and their families. Notably, spouses and children of H1 B foreign workers were not allowed to work in the United States until 2015.

Eshoo added that protecting work authorization for H-4 visa holders is a matter of both economic fairness and family unity.

According to Lofgren, the newly introduced bill will block the Trump administration from needlessly harming the US economy as well as the lives of skilled immigrant families.