Republican Senator Chuck Grassley who called for stopping work permits to student visa holders in the US has now charged the top 10 tech companies and asked them to explain why they continue to hire H-1Bs, how much they pay them etc. The Wall Street Journal reported that Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) sent letters to the country’s largest users of H-1B visa, including Amazon, Apple and JPMorgan Chase, asking them to explain why they continue to hire thousands of H-1B visa holders while also cutting other jobs.The senators asked for detailed information on how many H-1B workers the companies employ, what wages they are paid, and whether American workers have been displaced in the process.Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft: List of companies increasing most H-1B visas this year“With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that Amazon cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions,” the senators wrote to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.Grassley took to social media announcing how he is going after the big techs and said STEM graduates in the US face higher unemployment than the general population.“Did u know US STEM grads now face higher unemployment than the general population??? Maybe its bc Big Tech is laying off US workers while requesting tens of thousands of H1B visas. Sen Durbin&I r teaming up again asking 10 major companies abt their use of H1B visas> USA labor,” the senator wrote.
Scrap OPT
The senators’ move comes after the Donald Trump administration hiked H-1B fee to $100,000 and announced a new wage-based hiring system instead of a lottery. Grassley recently asked the Department of Homeland Security to stop issuing work authorization to foreign students. US is at risk of tech and corporate espionage because foreign students get to work in the US, Grassley implied. “DHS needs 2 stop issuing work authorisations 2 student visa holders who compete against Americans. It’s in direct violation of law & puts USA at risk of tech and corporate espionage. I sent a letter 2 DHS Scty Noem asking her to end work authorisations 4 foreign student visa holders,” Grassley posted. F-1 student visa holders get to work in the US for 12 to 36 months immediately after completing their studies under the Optional Practical Training program. Like the H-1B, this too has come under fire as student workers are not considered part of workforce and do not pay taxes.
