Trump Orders Review of H-1B Visa Program in Executive Order

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order directing agencies within his administration to review the H-1B visa program, through which the government annually admits 85,000 foreign workers.

The President ordered the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Homeland Security to propose new rules and issue new guidance to “protect the interests of United States Workers in the administration of our immigration system,” and “suggest reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid” foreign workers. The order instituted no specific deadline for the agencies’ review, which could take years to complete.

In the same executive order the President reiterated his administration’s commitment to favoring American companies for federal contracts, giving all agencies 150 days to assess and improve their compliance with “Buy American” laws.