In a significant shift, the Trump administration is proposing changes to the H-1B visa program, which allows U.S. companies to hire skilled foreign workers. Joseph Edlow, the newly confirmed director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S.C.I.S.), said the system should prioritize companies offering higher wages. This would mark a departure from the current lottery-based system that allocates 85,000 visas annually, regardless of salary offered.
The aim, according to Edlow, is to ensure that the program “supplements, not supplants” the American workforce. This comes amid criticism from conservative factions within the Republican Party who argue that the current system undercuts domestic wages. Vice President JD Vance recently accused companies of laying off American workers in favor of cheaper foreign labor.
However, tech leaders — some of whom are Trump supporters — argue the opposite. They claim that the H-1B program is essential due to a shortage of skilled domestic talent, especially in fields like AI, cybersecurity, and software engineering.
Citizenship Test Could Become More Challenging
Edlow also revealed plans to toughen the U.S. naturalization test. Calling the current version “too easy,” he suggested reverting to a more difficult format introduced during Trump’s first term. That version required applicants to answer 12 out of 20 civics questions correctly, as opposed to the current six out of ten.
This move is intended to better reflect the “spirit of the law,” according to Edlow. Critics, however, argue that such changes could act as barriers to integration and discourage lawful immigration.
Broader Implications for Immigration Policy
These changes signal how U.S.C.I.S. may function under a second Trump term, continuing the administration’s broader efforts to tighten immigration. While Edlow insists that immigration should be a “net positive” for the country, his approach focuses on economic benefit and stricter eligibility standards.
With the proposed reforms still subject to the federal rule-making process, the future of work visas and naturalization remains uncertain — and highly politicized.
