Visa politics

New H1-B ban would also hurt US companies

Returning to a frequent theme of his politics, his campaigns, and his governance, US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the country would not permit granting new temporary work visas for the remainder of the year. Besides the well-known H1-B visa, this would include certain work-related J (exchange visitor) and L (inter-company transfer) visas. The White House proclamation to this effect made a case that this was necessary to deal with the fallout of the pandemic, which has strained the US labour market. However, the broader rhetoric around the announcement suggested that — certainly if Mr Trump is re-elected