US lawmaker reintroduces HIRE Act to double H-1B Visa quota amid intense immigration debate

US Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has revived a major immigration reform proposal aimed at easing the pressure on America’s high-skilled labour market. The High-Skilled Immigration Reform for Employment (HIRE) Act, reintroduced in the US House of Representatives, seeks to double the number of H-1B visas annually, from 65,000 to 1,30,000. This comes at a time when this category of visas has become expensive and politically sensitive.Krishnamoorthi said the measure was designed to keep the United States competitive in emerging technologies while addressing chronic workforce shortages in science and engineering fields, The Indian Express reported. According to him, strengthening the domestic talent pool and welcoming global talent must go hand in hand if the country wants to maintain its technological edge.

What the HIRE Act Proposes
The legislation, supported by the ITServe Alliance, takes a dual-track approach: boosting federal investments in STEM education within the US and allowing companies greater access to skilled foreign professionals. One of its major provisions includes removing the current cap of 20,000 additional H-1B visas reserved for individuals holding advanced U.S. degrees.
Krishnamoorthi argued that the proposal was essential to sustain innovation-driven industries. “To build the jobs and industries of tomorrow, America must stay at the forefront of innovation,” he said. “By expanding the talent pipeline and giving employers flexibility to hire the skilled workers they need, we can create good-paying jobs and secure America’s technological leadership.”The Debate Around H-1B Visas

The H-1B Visa has become a sensitive political issue, especially after the Trump administration started closely examining and tightening the rules around it. Ahead of the 2024 presidential elections, public attention on immigration sharply increased, with nearly 15% of registered voters naming it as their top issue.

The current administration has already approved a steep fee hike, raising annual charges for firms hiring H-1B workers to $100,000, arguing that the programme has been misused to replace American workers.

A recent government order claimed that systemic abuse of the system has undermined both economic and national security interests.

Indians continue to form the backbone of the programme, receiving over 70% of all H-1B approvals every year since 2015. But recent remarks by US officials accusing Indian applicants of ‘industrialised fraud’ have added a fresh layer of controversy.