The Brian Lehrer Show Big Changes Coming to the H-1B Visa Program
Sep 29, 2025
Jorge Loweree, Managing Director of Programs and Strategy at the American Immigration Council, dives into the recent overhaul of the H-1B visa program. He clarifies what jobs qualify for these visas and discusses the complexities of displacement among American workers. Loweree highlights the potential negative impact of a proposed fee on small employers while big corporations could easily absorb it. He also emphasizes the dire consequences for non-tech sectors like hospitals and schools, revealing a complex landscape where many deserving workers face long waits and uncertainty.
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What H-1B Workers Do
- The H-1B is a temporary visa for highly educated foreign professionals in specialty occupations, often in STEM and healthcare.
- Employers petition for these workers when they claim U.S. labor shortages in those fields.
Displacement Claims Versus Labor Shortages
- Critics claim H-1B holders displace U.S. workers and are paid less in some high-profile cases.
- Jorge Loweree says such abuses are exceptions and hiring concentrates where labor shortages exist, like Silicon Valley and NYC.
Fee Would Narrow The Talent Pipeline
- A $100,000 fee would effectively restrict H-1B access to the highest-paid or largest employers.
- Loweree warns it would cut early-career talent and the pipeline into U.S. innovation sectors.