Trump administration launches 175 probes into H-1B visa abuse

The Trump administration has launched about 175 investigations into H1B visa abuse including lapses such as low wages nonexistent work sites and the practice of benching employees reported news agency PTIAccording to the US Department of Labour the probes were part of a broader effort for the protection of American jobsAs part of our mission to protect American Jobs weve launched 175 investigations into H1B abuse the Labour Department said in a post on X FridayIt added that under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Labour Secretary Lori ChavezDeRemer the agency will continue taking action to put American workers firstChavezDeRemer said in a post on X that the Labour Department is using every resource at our disposal to put a stop to H1B abuse and protect American Jobs Under the leadership of POTUS well continue to invest in our workforce and ensure highskilled job opportunities go to American Workers FIRSTThe Trump administration has launched a massive crackdown to check abuse in the H1B visa programme which is used by companies particularly technology firms to employ foreign workers in the USIndian professionals including technology workers and physicians are among the largest cohort of H1B visa holdersA report in Fox News said that the Department of Labour could not provide details on the specifics of the 175 current investigations which account for over USD 15 million in calculated back wages to workersThe federal department however said that it has uncovered a bounty of concerns with investigations finding that some foreign workers with advanced degrees are paid far less than what is promoted in a job descriptionThe Labour Department said this practice drives down wages for visaholders as well as American workers while also forcing American employees with the same qualification to accept lower wages to stay competitive the Fox News report saidIt added that investigations also found instances of employers not notifying the US Citizenship and Immigration Services when an H1B visa holder was terminatedIt also found significant lag times between a termination and an employer notifying the agency the news report addedIn some instances investigators found that work sites listed on documents did not exist or that workers were unaware of the jobs they were supposedly assigned to perform as laid out in their permits and applicationsOther investigations found some employees took part in benching which is when H1B visa holders are not paid anything when they are inbetween active work projects the Fox News report saidIn September this year Trump issued a Proclamation titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers as an important initial step to reform the H1B nonimmigrant visa programmeUnder the Proclamation certain H1B petitions filed after September 21 2025 must be accompanied by an additional USD 100000 payment as a condition of eligibilityWith inputs from PTI