US President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended H1B and other wok visas including suspension of Green Cards till the year-end. The moves comes in the wake of high unemployment rate due to COVID-19 which acted as a catalyst for the US economy to shrink. White House officials said that the intention is to give Americans first priory in jobs as the nation has witnessed 46 million job losses until last week. Notably, the decision over suspension of immigrants would keep 525,000 foreign workers at bay.
The suspension for visas fall for categories H-1B, H-4 for some H-1B spouses, H-2B, J visas and L-1. Incidentally, Indians would be hard hit as they account largest beneficiary of H1-B visa accounting to nearly 74% of the work force. The restriction on H-4 visas that allows spouses of H-1B workers also stands in restriction. Trumps Order letter reads, “Under the extraordinary circumstances of the economic contraction resulting from the Covid-19 outbreak, certain non-immigrant visa programs authorizing such employment pose an unusual threat to the employment of American workers,”
