End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026

Increased Wage Standards: Employers would be required to offer wages of at least $200,000 per year for H-1B workers, as stated in Section 4(a)(1)(A)(i)(v).

Protection of Domestic Labor: The bill requires employers to attest that there are not sufficient qualified and available workers at the place of need and that employment will not adversely affect the wages or working conditions of U.S. workers (Section 4(a)(1)(A)(i)(ii) and (iii)).

Job Security Protections: Employers must attest that they have not laid off workers during the previous 12-month period and will not do so in the following 12-month period (Section 4(a)(1)(A)(i)(iv)).

Wage-Based Visa Allocation: The bill would move away from a lottery system to issuing visas in order of the highest wage levels being offered (Section 4(e)(3)(A)).

Immediate Pause on Visas: No H-1B visas may be issued for a period of three years following the enactment of the Act (Section 2.

Reduced Duration of Stay: The maximum duration for the visa would be reduced from six years to three years (Section 4(d)(2)).

Significant Financial Burden for Employers: Employers must pay an additional $100,000 fee per petition (Section 4(c)(2)).

Restrictions on Family Members: The bill strikes the provision allowing the spouse and minor children of an H-1B alien to accompany or follow to join them (Section 3).

Prohibition of Foreign Student Employment: The Act prohibits employment authorization for foreign students currently under the Optional Practical Training program (Section 6).

Barriers to Permanent Residency: The bill makes nonimmigrants ineligible to adjust their status to permanent residence while residing in the United States, except under very specific conditions (Section 7(a)).

Limited Employment Options: The Act prohibits federal agencies from filing petitions for these visas or employing these nonimmigrants directly or through contracts (Section 5).

Ban on Certain Employment Structures: The bill prohibits concurrent employment and prevents third-party staffing agencies from sponsoring or facilitating recruitment for these workers (Section 4(f)(12) and (13)).