Indian nationals may comprise the largest share of H-1B visa holders in the US but that position is under threat, following a Bill introduced by a Republican lawmaker to abolish the visa programme.
The proposal, along with recent administrative changes, will have major implications for Indian professionals and students planning careers in the US.
Official data cited in the lawmaker’s statement reportedly says that more than 80 per cent of H-1B recipients are Indian or Chinese nationals.
Indians form the biggest group in this category. The data also notes a preference for younger workers.
At the same time, visa processing has tightened. From December 15 last year, the US State Department began enhanced screening and vetting of H-1B and dependent H-4 visas. This includes checks of applicants’ social media profiles.
Following the move, several H-1B visa interviews scheduled across India have been postponed by months. Many visa holders who travelled to India for visa stamping have been left stranded. They have been unable to return to the United States as planned.
The fresh concerns follow the introduction of the Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions Act, or EXILE Act. The Bill has reportedly been tabled by US Representative Greg Steube of Florida. It proposes amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the H-1B visa category altogether.
In a statement announcing the legislation, Steube said the visa system had repeatedly disadvantaged American workers. He argued that prioritising foreign labour over the well-being and prosperity of US citizens undermined American values and national interests.
He said American workers and young people continued to be displaced and disenfranchised by a programme that, in his view, rewarded corporations and foreign competitors at the expense of the domestic workforce.
Furthermore, he maintained that preserving opportunities for American children required ending what he described as the forfeiting of their share to non-citizens. He said the EXILE Act was meant to put working Americans first again.
The move comes amid a broader tightening of immigration policy under President Donald Trump. Trump has taken a hard line on both legal and illegal migration. Last year, he described abuse of the H-1B programme as a national security concern. He signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas. The decision triggered widespread anxiety among foreign professionals, especially Indians.
The statement accompanying the EXILE Act lists several examples to support claims that the programme has harmed American workers. It says more than 10,000 US physicians were blocked from accessing residency programmes. At the same time, more than 5,000 foreign-born doctors were facilitated entry.
It also claims that over 16,000 Microsoft employees were displaced after the approval of more than 9,000 H-1B visas in 2025.
Steube’s office further alleged that FedEx’s use of H-1B visas led to the closure of more than 100 facilities across the country.
The statement cited earlier cases. It referred to Disney laying off 250 employees in 2015 before replacing them with foreign workers. It mentioned Southern California Edison firing 540 workers in 2014. Their roles were reportedly filled by staff from two Indian outsourcing firms using the H-1B route.
The EXILE Act faces a difficult legislative path.
Immigration experts were quoted as saying that its introduction reflects growing political hostility towards the H-1B programme. For Indian professionals and students, the Bill adds to existing uncertainty over visa processing, costs and long-term job security.
Also Read: US Firms Targeted In Anti-Indian Backlash After Trump’s H-1B Changes https://www.vibesofindia.com/us-firms-targeted-in-anti-indian-backlash-after-trumps-h-1b-changes/
