Put a 3-year freeze on H-1B, eliminate H-4: Rep. Crane’s new GOP bill calls for major reforms to visa programs
The new GOP bill calls for a three-year freeze on the H-1B visa program and a ban on H-1B dependents coming to the US.
A new bill has now been added to the list of bills like EXILE, PAUSE, which seeks major changes in the H-1B visa program, which is at the center of the immigration controversy in the Trump 2.0 administration. Arizona Republican Representative Eli Crane introduced the FINAL H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 in Congress. The bill’s co-sponsors are Brian Babin, Brandon Gill, Paul Gosar, Wesley Hunt, Tom McClintock, Keith Self and Andy Ogles.“The federal government must work for hardworking citizens, not the profit margins of large corporations. We have a duty to the American people to stop the broken H-1B system from locking them out of jobs they are qualified for,” Rep. Crane said, explaining that the final H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 would provide greater access to employment, strengthen protocols in the visa process, and prioritize Americans’ livelihoods. “I am honored to introduce this legislation and I am grateful to those who raised awareness of this flawed process,” said Rep. Crane.
What are the proposals under the new bill?
- Reducing the annual H-1B limit from 65,000 to 25,000 and eliminating existing exemptions.
- Replacing the lottery system with a salary-based selection system.
- Employers are required to certify that they cannot find a qualified U.S. worker and have not made layoffs.
- Choosing a minimum H-1B salary of $200,000 per year.
- Prohibiting H-1B workers from holding more than one job and preventing third-party staffing agencies from employing them.
- Not allowing H-1B workers to bring dependents to the US.
- Prohibiting federal agencies from sponsoring or employing nonimmigrant workers.
- Ending optional practical training.
- Ensuring that nonimmigrant visas remain temporary by preventing H-1B holders from adjusting to permanent residence status.
- Nonimmigrants are required to leave the United States before changing to another nonimmigrant status.
Rosemary Jenks, an immigration policy expert who helped draft the bill, said that if H-1Bs do not get an extension and are sent home after three years, companies will have to bring in new H-1Bs and train them – making the overall process more expensive and then companies will start hiring Americans.Rep. Brandon Gill, who is married to Indian-origin Danielle D’Souza, said, “I am proud to sponsor Representative Eli Crane’s efforts to reform and tighten our H-1B visa system, ensuring that our immigration system serves American workers before foreigners.”