A group of Republican lawmakers has introduced a bill to put a three-year pause on the H1-B visa program, arguing that companies have long abused it to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor.
Congressman Eli Crane of Arizona introduced the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which was co-sponsored by seven other Republican lawmakers. The bill proposes reforms to the H-1B program, which include lowering the annual cap from 65,000 to 25,000 with a minimum wage of $200,000 per year and barring H-1B visa holders from bringing dependents to the US. It also seeks changes to the H-1B program that include replacing the lottery system with a wage-based selection system; require employers to confirm that they cannot find a qualified person
“The federal government should be working for hard-working citizens, not the profit margins of massive corporations. We owe it to the American people to prevent the broken H-1B system from shutting them out of jobs they are qualified to do,” Crane said.
H1B Visa Repeal Bill
Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Greg Steube, R-Florida, has introduced the “Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions, or EXILE Act,” legislation that would require an end to the H-1B visa program.
“Prioritizing foreign labor over the well-being and prosperity of American citizens undermines our values and national interests,” Steube said in a statement.
“Our workers and young people continue to be displaced and disenfranchised by the H-1B visa program, which rewards corporations and foreign competitors at the expense of our workforce. We cannot preserve the American Dream for our children while losing their share to non-citizens. That’s why I’m introducing the EXILE Act to put working Americans first again,” he said.
What does it mean for Indians?
H-1B visas are widely used by Indian professionals to live and work in the US. According to the Trump administration, more than 80% of H-1B visa recipients are Indian or Chinese nationals, with preference given to younger workers.
Last year, the Trump administration tightened rules on both legal and illegal immigration, including tighter restrictions on H-1B visas. Trump has called abuse of the H-1B program a threat to national security and last year signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, sparking panic and concern among Indian workers.
As a result, several H1B visa interviews scheduled across India were postponed and brought forward by months, leaving many visa holders who traveled to India for visa stamping stranded.
If approved to become law, the bill could halt or delay the entry of Indians through H1B visas. But senior level managers on L1 visas can still enter the country for work.
