The US Department of Labor on Friday announced the launch of Project Firewall, an H-1B enforcement initiative that aims to protect the rights, wages, and jobs of skilled American workers. The announcement came the same day President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 fee for H-1B applications.
What is Project Firewall?
Under the Project Firewall, the employers must prioritise qualified Americans when hiring and they will be held accountable in case the H-1B visa process is abused.
Speaking about it, US Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said, “The Trump Administration is standing by our commitment to end practices that leave Americans in the dust. As we reestablish economic dominance, we must protect our most valuable resource: the American worker. Launching Project Firewall will help us ensure no employers are abusing H-1B visas at the expense of our workforce.”
“By rooting out fraud and abuse, the Department of Labor and our federal partners will ensure that highly skilled jobs go to Americans first.”
How will Project Firewall impact Indians?
The stricter laws will surely affect the Indian and other foreign nationals who are in the United States with H1-B visas or applying for them, but the full extent of the impact is still unclear.
India was the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas last year, accounting for 71% of approved beneficiaries, while China was a distant second at 11.7%, according to government data.
