Understanding H-1B Visas

The H-1B visa program is a U.S. non-immigrant visa that permits employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialized fields that typically require a bachelor's degree or higher. Despite its original intent to fill high-skill positions, it has been criticized for being misapplied to lower-skilled roles, enabling some companies to exploit cheaper labor sources rather than hiring American workers. This system creates a workforce dependency on foreign employees, which has raised concerns about a form of 'indentured servitude', where foreign workers are restricted to their sponsoring employers. Reports have highlighted cases where American employees were replaced by H-1B visa holders, often at significantly lower salaries, raising ethical and economic questions about the program's impact on the U.S. labor market.