Republican lawmakers push bill raising H-1B threshold near $140,000
A new bill from Republican lawmakers aims to bump up the H-1B-dependent-employer exemption threshold from $60,000 (a number that hasn't changed since 1998!) to a dynamic standard equal to two times the SSA national average wage index, which would put the threshold at nearly $140,000.
The Protecting American Workers Through H-1B Modernization Act, led by Rep. Glenn Grothman and Sen. Jon Husted, is designed to make sure companies don't bypass American workers by hiring foreign talent at lower pay.
Bill closes H-1B $60,000 loophole
Right now, certain employers can skip looking for American candidates if they offer foreign workers at least $60,000 or hire those with advanced degrees.
The new proposal would tie the threshold to twice the national average wage, basically closing old loopholes and updating things for today's economy.
As Grothman put it, "This bill would update that threshold and help ensure American workers have a fair opportunity to compete for these jobs."