US rolls out stricter H-1B rules for laid-off workers
The US is rolling out stricter rules for companies that want to hire H-1B visa workers, especially if they've laid off American employees.
Vice President JD Vance said the goal is to make sure companies aren't just swapping out local workers for foreign hires, saying, "If you're laying off American workers, you shouldn't be going to the market searching for foreign workers to replace them."
The move lines up with the Trump administration's push to keep the program focused on supporting US jobs.
Order requires agencies verify H-1B layoffs
A new executive order now requires federal agencies, like the Labour Department and the Department of Homeland Security, to check if companies applying for H-1B visas have let go of American staff.
The idea is to crack down on any misuse or fraud in the system and make sure the program isn't hurting US workers.
"The states where it's worst are also the states that have the least willingness to cooperate with what we're doing," JD Vance maintained, but he said that the administration is pursuing administrative changes since he does not expect Congress to overhaul the H-1B system through legislation.