U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at reforming the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. The bill, known as the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act, seeks to address fraud and abuse in these visa categories, increase protections for both American workers and foreign visa holders, and improve transparency in the recruitment of foreign labor.
Senator Durbin commented on the motivation behind the bill: “Major companies are laying off thousands of American workers while filing thousands of visa petitions for foreign workers at depressed wages and poor working conditions. The Trump Administration’s solution? An arbitrary $100,000 fee that would only price out the rural hospitals and universities relying on this program. Congress must step in to protect American workers and fix our broken immigration system. Senator Grassley and I will work to make this bipartisan bill the law of the land.”
Grassley added: “Congress created the H-1B and L-1 visa programs as limited pathways for businesses to acquire top talent when it can’t be found at home. But over the years, many employers have used them to cut out American workers in favor of cheap foreign labor. Congress must step in again to bring integrity back to these programs and restore dignity for American and foreign workers. There’s bipartisan acknowledgement that these programs ought to be returned to their intended purpose. Our bill would make that shared goal a reality.”
The two visa programs were originally designed to help U.S. companies fill roles requiring highly skilled noncitizens when there is a shortage of qualified domestic candidates. However, lawmakers say some employers have misused these visas by displacing U.S. employees or paying lower wages than market rates, creating poor working conditions for both domestic and foreign staff.
The proposed reforms include new wage standards, stricter recruitment practices, mandatory job postings on a Department of Labor (DOL) website accessible by U.S. workers—including those laid off from H-1B positions—and additional DOL authority with funding for more personnel dedicated to enforcement efforts.
Other provisions involve prioritizing H-1B visas for applicants with advanced degrees in STEM fields; changing definitions within specialty occupations; setting time limits for certain L-1 petitions; increasing penalties such as fines or employer bans for wage violations; requiring evidence from new offices abroad; and enhancing cooperation between agencies like DOL and State Department during verification processes.
The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL). Durbin and Grassley first introduced similar measures in 2007 but continue efforts amid concerns about large technology firms conducting mass layoffs while submitting high numbers of H-1B applications—sometimes offering substandard pay or working environments.
A full version of the proposed bill is available online.
