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TECHNOLOGY Saturday 22 april 2017

AP Explains: Behind the visa program targeted by Trump

ANICK JESDANUN ance for employees re-
AP Technology Writer viewing individual cases,
NEW YORK (AP) — President it could make it more diffi-
Donald Trump is targeting a cult for entry-level workers
visa program cherished by to get approved.
tech companies for bring- Beyond that, the admin-
ing in programmers and istration could scrap the
other specialized workers current lottery approach
from other countries. and give priority to high-
Although these visas, er-paying jobs, thereby
known as H-1B, aren’t sup- weeding out lower-paying,
posed to displace Ameri- entry-level positions. Trump
can workers, critics say wants individual depart-
the program mostly ben- ments in his administration
efits consulting firms that to come up with proposals.
let tech companies save WHAT ABOUT CONGRESS?
money by contracting out
their jobs to foreign work- One bill, proposed by Sens.
ers. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Dem-
Trump signed an order ocrat, and Charles Grass-
Tuesday to direct the de- ley, a Republican from
partments of Homeland Iowa, would require com-
Security, Justice, Labor panies seeking H-1B visas
and State to propose new to first make a good-faith
rules to prevent immigra- effort to hire Americans, a
tion fraud and abuse. requirement that applies
Those departments would to only some companies
also be asked to offer under the current system. It
changes so that H-1B visas would also give the Labor
are awarded to the “most- President Donald Trump speaks at tool manufacturer Snap-on Inc. in Kenosha, Wis., Tuesday, April Department more power
skilled or highest-paid ap- 18, 2017. to investigate and sanc-
plicants.” Associated Press tion H-1B abuses and give
Here’s a look at how the this program. Supporters pay less by classifying jobs severance packages. “the best and brightest”
H-1B visa program works. have sought to expand the at the lowest skill levels, In some cases, companies foreign students studying
IS THIS A TECH VISA PRO- number of visas allowed even if the specific work- must make a good faith in the U.S. priority in getting
GRAM? each year, something un- ers hired have more experi- effort to hire a U.S. worker H-1B visas.
The H-1B program is open likely to happen. ence. Many of the overseas before turning to an H-1B Reps. Darrell Issa and Scott
to a broad range of oc- BY THE NUMBERS workers are willing to work worker, but there are many Peters — a Republican and
cupations, including archi- Although the program is for as little as $60,000 annu- exceptions to this require- a Democrat, both from
tects, professors and even capped at 85,000 new ally, far less than $100,000- ment. California— propose raising
fashion models. H-1B visas each year, more plus salaries typically paid TRUMP’S CARDS the minimum annual salary
It’s meant for jobs requiring than 100,000 workers are to U.S. technology workers. The Trump administration for certain exemptions to
specialty skills that cannot allowed in annually be- As a result, many U.S. com- can do a few things on its $100,000, from $60,000. The
be filled by a U.S. worker. cause of exemptions for panies find it cheaper sim- own. change could make even
Many of these jobs hap- university-related positions. ply to contract out help A few weeks ago, the more companies subject
pen to be in tech. Accord- Recipients can stay up to desks, programming and Trump administration is- to the requirement to try to
ing to the Labor Depart- six years. Demand is usu- other basic tasks to con- sued a stern warning to U.S. hire U.S. workers first.
ment, the top three H-1B ally higher than the cap, sulting companies such as companies that it would Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Cali-
occupations are computer so the government holds Wipro, Infosys, HCL Tech- investigate and prosecute fornia Democrat and for-
systems analysts, applica- an annual lottery. This year, nologies and Tata in India those who overlook quali- mer immigration lawyer
tion software developers the government received and IBM and Cognizant fied American workers for whose district includes
and computer program- nearly 200,000 applications in the U.S. These consult- jobs. An official with the the heart of Silicon Val-
mers — and those three for the available spots in ing companies hire foreign U.S. Citizenship and Immi- ley, has proposed raising
account for roughly half of less than a week. workers, often from India, gration Services also circu- the minimum salary even
the department’s H-1B cer- WHAT ABOUT AMERICAN and contract them out to lated a memo intended higher, to $130,000. Her bill
tifications. JOBS? U.S. employers looking to to reserve approvals for also would give priority to
The tech industry says that By law, companies are re- save money. Tech workers computer programming higher-paying jobs, while
companies have trouble quired to pay at least the losing their jobs sometimes to more senior positions. Al- setting aside 20 percent of
filling positions with Ameri- prevailing wage for that have sometimes been re- though the memo doesn’t spots to smaller businesses,
can workers and must turn occupation. In practice, quired to train their foreign have the force of law and which might not be able to
to other countries through critics say companies can replacements to qualify for is merely intended as guid- pay as much.q