US Chambers seeks to double H-1B quota
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H-1B Quota: The powerful US Chambers of Commerce has started a massive campaign to address the severe shortage of skilled and professional workforce in America, prominent among which includes urging the Biden Government and Congress to double the number of H-1B visas and eliminate the per-country quota for the Green Card.
The most sought-after H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that permits US organizations to utilize foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology organizations rely upon it to recruit a huge number of employees every year from nations like India and China.
The interest to increase the H-1B quota, which presently is at 65,000 and another 20,000 for the individuals who have higher studies from the US, is important for the America Works campaign by the US Chambers of Commerce early this month.
“As we stand on the cusp of what could be a great American resurgence. A worker shortage is holding back job creators across the country,” US Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Suzanne Clark said.
Through the America Works Agenda, the US Chamber is calling for doubling the cap on employment-based visas. Doubling the quota on H-1B and H-2B visas, and implementing different reforms to the legal immigration system. To help employers satisfy the need for high-demand jobs in labor-strapped sectors. It is also calling for developing federal investments in employer-led job education and training programs and expanding access to childcare for working parents.
US Chambers seeks to double H-1B quota
“We should arm workers with the skills they need, we should remove barriers that are keeping such a large number of Americans on the sidelines. Also, we should recruit the absolute best from around the world to help high-demand jobs,” Clark said.
However, the Chamber called for changes to be made on the issuance of employment-based immigrant visas. Including doubling the cap on employment-based immigrant visas from 140,000/year to 280,000/year.
Eliminate the practice of counting spouses and minor children under the yearly Green Card quota. Which, if done alone, would substantially double the amount of employment-based immigrant workers our nation admits every year, it said.
“Eliminate the Per-Country Caps that punish people from specific nations with self-assertively longer stand-by times. And when done in combination with expanding the annual quota, will avoid the creation of several new backlogs within the system,” the US Chambers said.
It urged the Biden government to give international students who graduate from US universities more opportunities. To get employment-based green cards upon graduation and enhance and expand the opportunities for entrepreneurs. To get permanent residency so they can build their businesses in the United States.
Also, US Chambers is encouraging the government to responsibly reinstate routine visa processing at consulates around the world. So organizations can acquire and hold the workers they need without significant operation disruptions to their businesses.
It also tries to extend access to H-2A agricultural worker visas for non-seasonal agricultural businesses. Like dairies and livestock producers, and guarantee that the program meets the future needs of American agriculture.
