New Legislation Targets H-1B Dependent Employers

On November 15, 2017, the House Judiciary Committee approved H.R. 170, better known as the Protect and Grow American Jobs Act, clearing the way for the new bill to move forward in the U.S. House of Representatives. H.R. 170's sponsor, Representative Darrell Issa of California's 49th Congressional District, issued a Press Release touting his proposed bipartisan legislation as a "common-sense" update to this widely utilized classification that will protect both the H-1B program and U.S. workers. Indeed, Representative Issa reaffirmed that while "[h]ighly skilled individuals that come to America through the H-1B visa program add tremendous value to the U.S. economy...loopholes in the program have allowed a small handful of employers to game the system to displace American workers and crowd out others who legitimately need the limited slots available to recruit individuals with unique skillsets not available here at home."