Trump's H-1B visa curbs may be rolled back? What new US Bill proposes

A new Bill in the US House seeks to undo Trump's 2025 H-1B restrictions, including a $100,000 employer petition fee and tighter wage rules

A new Bill in the US House of Representatives seeks to roll back strict restrictions placed on the H-1B visa programme during President Donald Trump’s second term.

 

Last week, US lawmaker Bonnie Watson Coleman introduced the Welcoming International Success Act (WISA), which proposes reversing rules introduced by the Trump administration in September 2025 that made hiring foreign professionals through the H-1B programme far more costly and restrictive.

 

The legislation comes at a time when the future of the H-1B system has become a political flashpoint in Washington, with several competing proposals in Congress seeking either to reform or dismantle the visa category.

   

“Trump’s shortsighted proclamation has created barriers for US employers, universities, hospitals, and research institutions that rely on highly-skilled professionals,” said Bonnie Watson Coleman. “The H-1B programme does not replace the domestic workforce; it serves as a bridge between US talent and global talent that fuels US economic growth.”

 

What did the Trump administration change in 2025?

 

In September 2025, the Donald Trump administration introduced sweeping restrictions on the H-1B programme through a presidential immigration proclamation.

 

The measures included:

 

> A $100,000 fee for employers submitting new H-1B visa petitions

> Stricter wage requirements for sponsored foreign workers

> A wage-weighted lottery system that gives priority to higher-paying job offers

 

Officials said the rules were intended to prevent companies from replacing American workers with lower-paid foreign labour and to ensure that only highly skilled professionals were admitted through the programme.

 

The administration also described the H-1B system as one of the most frequently abused components of the US immigration framework.

 

What does the new Bill propose?

 

The Welcoming International Success Act seeks to undo several provisions of the September 2025 proclamation.

 

If passed, the Bill would:

 

• Cancel the immigration proclamation issued in September 2025

• Remove or reduce the $100,000 employer petition fee

• Ease wage rules introduced under the policy

• Make it easier for employers and research institutions to hire foreign professionals

 

According to the legislation, the proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” would effectively have no legal force if the Bill becomes law.

 

Watson Coleman said the existing rules have created “significant barriers” for employers and institutions that rely on skilled workers from abroad.

 

How does the H-1B visa programme work?

 

The H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals for specialised roles when skilled workers are limited in the domestic labour market.

 

These jobs normally require advanced training or specialised knowledge and are often found in areas such as:

 

Information technology

Engineering

Healthcare

Scientific research

Education and academia

 

Technology companies, universities, hospitals and research institutions rely heavily on the programme to fill specialised positions.

 

Indian professionals are the largest beneficiaries of the system. More than 70 per cent of H-1B visas are granted to Indian nationals, while applicants from China account for roughly 12 per cent.

 

What other proposals are being debated in Congress?

 

The WISA Bill arrives amid a wider political debate over the future of the programme.

 

In January 2026, Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the End H-1B Now Act, which proposes eliminating the visa category entirely from US immigration law.

 

Another proposal followed in February 2026 when Greg Steube introduced the EXILE Act (Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions Act). His Bill proposes phasing out the H-1B programme by 2027.

 

Why does the debate matter for Indians?

 

Any change to the H-1B system carries direct consequences for Indian professionals because they dominate the programme.

 

Recent estimates show:

 

> About 7.3 lakh H-1B visa holders currently live in the United States

> Around 5.5 lakh dependants, including spouses and children, live with them

> More than 70 per cent of these visa holders are from India

 

Because Indians make up such a large share of the programme, changes to the rules can affect thousands of Indian engineers, IT professionals, researchers and healthcare workers working in the United States.

 

For the Bill to become law, it must first pass the US House of Representatives and then be approved by the Senate. If both chambers of Congress clear the legislation, it will be sent to the President for signature.

 

Until then, the H-1B rules introduced in 2025 remain in force.