H-1B visa hiring paused across Florida public universities till 2027

Florida's State University System has halted new H-1B hiring while officials review how the visa programme is used across public universities

Public universities in Florida have decided to pause the hiring of new employees through the H-1B visa programme, extending a debate over foreign worker visas that has already surfaced in Texas.

 

The move follows calls from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for state universities to clamp down on what he described as “visa abuse” within higher education.

 

What does the Florida H-1B hiring pause involve?

 

Florida’s public universities will temporarily stop hiring new foreign faculty members through the H-1B visa programme. The pause applies only to new hires at the 12 institutions that form part of the State University System of Florida.

 

The Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s public universities, voted to keep the temporary ban in place until January 5 next year.

 

Ray Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida, had indicated last month that a suspension of H-1B visa hiring, if approved, would remain in effect until January 5, 2027.

 

“This pause would allow for an examination of the programme’s costs as well as how the programme is used by our universities,” Rodrigues said.

 

The suspension will not affect employees who were already hired under the H-1B programme at Florida institutions. However, it will apply to prospective new hires.

 

Data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website shows that more than 600 people received H-1B visa approvals through these 12 Florida universities last year. 

 

Why did DeSantis call for a crackdown on H-1B visas?

 

Governor Ron DeSantis had earlier urged universities to stop relying on foreign workers instead of hiring Americans.

 

“Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job. We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That’s why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice,” DeSantis said in October.

 

He also said US universities “were importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job”.

 

What does the H-1B visa programme allow?

 

The H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire highly skilled professionals in specialised occupations.

 

Many of these roles are in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

 

Key features of the programme include:

 

• The US government issues 65,000 H-1B visas each year.

• An additional 20,000 visas are reserved for workers who hold advanced degrees.

• Approved visas usually allow professionals to work in the US for three to six years. 

 

How does this relate to the Texas H-1B investigation?

 

The developments in Florida come after a similar move in Texas earlier this year.

 

In late January, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into the H-1B visa programme in the state. He also directed state agencies and universities to suspend new visa petitions.

 

“In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that programme to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions,” Abbott said in a letter to state agencies.