West Virginia Congressman Riley Moore has expressed frustration with the H-1B visa program, stating that it is a scam that has been perpetrated on American workers for too long.
Moore argues that the program, which allows temporary work authorizations for "high-skilled" foreign workers, has led to the displacement of American workers. He claims that companies are not required to prove that they couldn't find a qualified American to do the same job, raising criticism among those who want to stop outsourcing jobs to foreign workers.
Major companies such as Amazon, IT consulting firm Cognizant, Infosys, IBM, and Microsoft have been criticized for using the most H-1B visas. Moore points out that despite Microsoft being approved for 2,273 H-1B visas this year alone, the company laid off 1,600 workers in its XBOX gaming division last week.
Moore believes that the typical H-1B visa holder is not as skilled as American workers, and that they are often brought to the United States to work for lower pay. He estimates that 80% of H-1B visa holders who become permanent residents do so through employment-based green cards, which can later lead to naturalized citizenship.
Moore also criticizes the Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorizations, which he sees as a way for foreign students to bypass the H-1B visa program and work in the United States. He claims that this program further disproves the idea that H-1B visas are for "high-skilled" foreign laborers.
Moore wants to abolish both the H-1B and OPT programs, and claims that he has found support among his colleagues in Congress. He believes that protecting American labor is essential, as American workers are the only ones who have to compete with labor from all over the world inside their own borders.
Moore's stance on the issue is not without precedent, as President Donald Trump previously tried to limit employers' use of the H-1B program by imposing a $100,000 fee. However, a federal judge struck down the order, and Moore continues to push for reform.
