In a fresh H-1B salvo for IT firms, US moots 11% higher pay for new hires

The US Department of Labor has proposed new rules with a near 11% increase in base wages for new H-1B visa applicants, a move that could raise costs for large information technology (IT) services firms which deploy significant visa-linked talent.As per a 26 March notification, the changes would lift pay benchmarks by at least $14,500 across entry-level and experienced hires, as Washington said it looks to curb “misuse” of the visa programme and bring foreign worker wages closer to parity with those of US employees. Going by this, an employee working on an H-1B visa in the US, who earned a base wage of $133,850 last fiscal year, would now earn about $148,439.The department has invited feedback on the new rules on or before 60 days of publishing of the draft.H-1B visas are non-immigrant visas that allow foreign nationals to temporarily work in the US in specialized occupations, including IT services-related work.The US department said the move aims to curb abuse of such visas "by reducing the incentive to displace American workers with low-wage foreign visa holders.”“This proposed rule will help ensure that employers pay foreign workers wages that reflect the real market value of their labor, in addition to protecting the wages and job opportunities of American workers," said Lori Chavez-DeRemer, US Secretary of Labour, as part of the Labour Department’s press release dated 26 March.

"The continued abuse of the H-1B program by certain bad actors will no longer be tolerated,”An expert said this was a routine change in law. “Nothing suggests that the department has circumvented or exceeded powers within its domain," said Russell A.