Why tougher US visa rules for highly-skilled foreign workers could be America’s loss and China’s gain
- H-1B visas are issued temporarily to highly educated immigrants who work in specialised occupations, such as technology or medicine
- Trump’s new visa rules for foreign workers have seen denial rates rise and the technology sector squeezed when it comes to hiring overseas talent
When 29-year-old Nora Xu flew to the United States six years ago, she was hoping to pursue a stable life in the country by studying computer science, like millions of bright Chinese students before her.
She sealed part one by picking up a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Part two has been more difficult though, and after applying for hundreds of suitable positions, she has yet to land an entry-level job.
“This year has been extremely difficult for foreign students and employees … there are too many obstacles and I feel no one is supporting us,” said Xu, who has applied for about 8 positions per day in the US. “Especially with the Trump administration, I feel he just wants to sweep us [foreign students] out of the US.”
Xu’s job search has been hampered by the pandemic but things were made even more difficult after the Trump administration last week announced significant changes in the H-1B visa program, which is a possible pathway to US citizenship for foreigners.
An H-1B visa is issued temporarily to highly educated immigrants who work in specialised occupations, such as technology or medicine. The new rules require US companies to pay higher wages to skilled foreign workers, narrow the type of degrees that qualify foreign workers for certain jobs, and shorten the visa period for certain H-1B employees.
And the brunt is being felt by younger foreign talent, who are looking for entry-level jobs after college and who now face being edged out in favour of domestic candidates due to the higher salary requirements placed on prospective employers.