US Senator Jim Banks Proposes American Tech Workforce Act to Overhaul H-1B Visa System

Senator Jim Banks introduced the American Tech Workforce Act in 2025, proposing a major overhaul of the H-1B visa program to prioritize American workers by ending the lottery system and the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program for foreign students. The bill raises the minimum wage for H-1B visa holders from $60,000 to $150,000, or the average salary for similar U.S. workers, aiming to prevent companies from using cheaper foreign labor to undercut American wages. It also limits H-1B visa assignments to third-party job sites to one year and removes the requirement for employers to maintain equal working conditions between visa holders and U.S. workers. Banks and supporters argue these changes will reduce corporate exploitation of immigration loopholes, particularly in the tech industry, where firms like Microsoft have faced criticism for laying off American workers while sponsoring thousands of H-1B visas. Critics of the current system claim it displaces American workers and facilitates a shadow economy dominated by offshore outsourcing firms. The legislation reflects a broader effort by some lawmakers to reform immigration policies to better protect domestic labor interests.