Policy Impact Analysis - 117/HR/9630

Bill Overview

Title: High-skilled Immigration Reform for Employment Act

Description: This bill increases the annual cap on H-1B visas (nonimmigrant visas for workers in specialty occupations) and authorizes grants for education. Specifically, the bill (1) increases the cap on such visas for each fiscal year to from 65.000 to 130,000, and (2) exempts from this cap all visas for individuals with a postgraduate degree from a U.S. institution of higher education (currently, only up to 20,000 such visas are exempted each fiscal year). The bill also modifies the criteria for determining whether an employer is an H-1B-dependent employer. (Such employers are subject to additional requirements.) The Department of Education may make grants to states to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (commonly referred to as STEM) education.

Sponsors: Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

Target Audience

Population: People interested in or affected by U.S. high-skilled immigration and employment

Estimated Size: 400000

• The bill increases the annual cap on H-1B visas from 65,000 to 130,000, allowing more high-skilled foreign workers to work in the U.S., impacting foreign professionals in specialty occupations.
• Exemptions from this cap are provided for individuals with a postgraduate degree from a U.S. institution. This likely benefits international students graduating from U.S. universities, enabling easier transition to employment in the U.S.
• The bill impacts U.S. employers, especially those dependent on H-1B workers, by modifying criteria for determining dependency, thus changing their compliance requirements.
• The bill allocates grants to support STEM education in the U.S., impacting educators and students in these fields by potentially enhancing educational resources.
• Individuals already in the U.S. on H-1B visas or those planning to apply could see changes in their employment opportunities and processes.

Reasoning

• The policy will primarily affect segments of the U.S. population involved in high-skilled employment sectors, specifically those reliant on or pursuing H-1B visas for workforce or self-development purposes.
• International students with postgraduate degrees from U.S. institutions will be benefited, as they will now be exempt from the annual H-1B visa cap, enabling a smoother transition from academia to employment.
• The increase in H-1B visas will influence U.S. companies, particularly in sectors like technology and engineering, as it opens up a larger pool of skilled labor. This could be viewed positively by those struggling to fill positions but potentially negatively by domestic job seekers fearing increased competition.
• The decreased administrative burden on certain employers could encourage more hiring of foreign workers, although this could result in more stringent conditions for smaller companies due to a change in dependency criteria.
• STEM education grants provide an opportunity for enhancement of educational quality in the U.S., potentially benefiting educators and students by providing more resources and learning opportunities.
• Overall, those untouched by the immigration process or in regions without high demands for STEM or tech jobs are less likely to feel a direct impact from the policy.

Simulated Interviews

Cost Estimates

Key Considerations

• Cost estimates include administrative and processing costs for increased visa applications.
• Potential economic benefits through increased labor market flexibility need to be balanced against the costs of STEM education grants.
• Employment dependency criteria changes could lead to compliance complexities but not necessarily significant cost changes.