Trump Freezes Green Cards, Many Work Visas Until End Of Year:
President Trump on Monday extended a freeze on green cards for new immigrants and signed an executive order to suspend new H-1B, L-1, J and other temporary work visas for skilled workers, managers and au pairs through the end of the year.
The goal of the move is to protect 525,000 jobs as part of the White House response to job losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic, said a senior administration official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity. NPR first reported the impending order on Saturday.
"Americans have been hurt through no fault of their own due to the coronavirus," the official said. "And the president is prioritizing getting them back into the labor supply and getting them to work and standing on their own two feet again."
[...] But other workers will also be affected, including foreign au pairs who provide child care. Professors and scholars are not to be included in the order, the official said. There will be a provision to request exemptions. The order is not expected to affect immigrants and visa holders already in the United States.
[...] The order did not apply to H-2A agriculture workers, who Trump says are necessary to ensure grocery store shelves remain stocked with fruits and vegetables. Health care workers involved in treating coronavirus patients will also be exempt.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Wednesday June 24 2020, @02:11PM
That is probably a true statement on its face. However I suspect it represents a small minority of H1B's. That may be the justification for having the H1B program. However corporate America has twisted that beyond any resemblance to that purpose of obtaining someone with an important and obscure skill which cannot be obtained within the US.
When trying to solve a problem don't ask who suffers from the problem, ask who profits from the problem.