A major staffing firm is facing backlash after a job advert showed it barred United States citizens from applying and allowed only H-1B visa holders to apply. The listing has stirred a row over alleged discrimination in industries that rely heavily on foreign work visas.The company is named LanceSoft, which is an IT staffing company that promotes its commitment to “diversity, equality, and inclusivity.” The firm posted the advert on November 25 for a technical support role in California, the Washington Free Beacon reported. The job paid $60 an hour and was framed as an equal-opportunity role open to people of any background.But buried under “Visa requirement” was a line that was questionable: applicants “must hold an active H1B visa.” A recruiter, Riyaz Ansari, added “No USC/GC for this role,” referring to US citizens and green card holders. He also said that LanceSoft’s status is a “certified Minority Business Enterprise.”Federal law forbids employers from discriminating based on citizenship status in the US. The Free Beacon reportedly found more than two dozen job postings since 2024 that appeared to exclude Americans, including listings on LinkedIn. Many came from firms owned by Indian nationals, who make up 70 per cent of H-1B visa holders.LanceSoft removed the advert within 24 hours of being contacted by reporters, according to the Free Beacon. The Justice Department has fined numerous companies for similar behaviour, including Meta, IBM and several tech recruitment firms. Moreover, Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the DOJ, said that a team is working on such cases.In a post on X, the Indian-origin said: “Thanks for flagging — we have a team working on these cases and will look at this. We work with the USEEOC and USDOL and the White House.”The row comes amid an internal divide among MAGA conservatives over the H-1B programme. The Trump administration has argued that the United States needs skilled foreign workers to fill crucial sectors such as tech and defence. However, many right-leaning members of the party disliked the president’s stance and even accused him of going against his “America First” promise.
