DeSantis calls H-1B a scam as US weighs reform

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis intensified criticism of the H1B visa program in a television interview, calling the system a "total scam" and accusing companies of laying off American workers while hiring foreign employees, many from India. His comments echo a broader push within the current U.S. administration to overhaul the H1B program, which allocates work visas for specialty occupations through a lottery and is relied on heavily by U.S. technology and scientific employers.

DeSantis told Fox News that the program has become a vehicle for companies to "game the system," asserting that many H1B beneficiaries come from a single country and that an industry has grown around exploiting the process. United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has made similar remarks, calling the program a scam and saying hiring American workers should be a priority. The Department of Homeland Security has circulated proposals to replace the annual lottery for 85,000 H1B visas, including 20,000 reserved for U.S. advanced degree holders, with a weighted selection that would prioritize applicants based on factors such as wages and education.

The H1B visa, created in 1990, allows U.S. employers to...