Republicans Introduce H-1B Visa Suspension Bill

A group of Republican lawmakers in the United States Congress has introduced legislation to suspend new issuances of H-1B visas for three years and implement sweeping reforms to the program, aiming to prioritize American workers in high-skilled job sectors.

The bill, known as the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, was introduced by Representative Eli Crane of Arizona and cosponsored by seven other Republicans, including Representatives Brandon Gill and Paul Gosar of Texas, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, and Brian Babin of Texas. Crane described the measure as a response to what he called a flawed system that disadvantages U.S. citizens. "The federal government should work for hardworking citizens, not the profit margins of massive corporations," Crane said. "We owe it to the American people to prevent the broken H-1B system from boxing them out of jobs they are qualified to perform."

Under the proposed legislation, the annual cap on H-1B visas would drop from 65,000 to 25,000, with all existing exemptions eliminated. The current random lottery for selections would be replaced by a wage-based system, requiring a minimum annual salary of $200,000 for visa holders. Employers would need to...