Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has moved to radically reshape the H-1B program, reintroducing the High-Skilled Immigration Reform for Employment, or HIRE Act, a bill that would double the annual H-1B visa cap from 65,000 to 130,000. The proposal, unveiled in Washington and aimed squarely at employers in technology and other high-skill fields, also calls for raising the separate quota for workers who hold advanced U.S. degrees, commonly known as the master’s cap, which is currently set at 20,000 visas per year.
Context and timing
The timing of the bill is striking. It lands just months after a major shift in the H-1B landscape, following President Donald Trump’s proclamation in September 2025 that raised the petition fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 for filings made after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on September 21, 2025. Against that backdrop, Krishnamoorthi’s plan to expand access to H-1B visas while also boosting funds for American education sets up a fresh fight in Congress over how the United States 🇺🇸 should manage high-skilled immigration, business needs, and worker protections.
Current H-1B system and how the bill changes it
Under current law:
– Most new H-1B approvals fall under the regular H-1B visa cap of 65,000.
– An extra 20,000 slots are reserved for applicants holding a U.S. master’s or higher degree.
Demand has far outstripped supply for years, forcing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to run a lottery. According to USCIS guidance on H-1B specialty occupations, the agency regularly receives far more registrations than available numbers during the brief filing window.
Key changes proposed by the HIRE Act:
– Double the regular H-1B cap from 65,000 to 130,000.
– Increase the master’s cap (currently 20,000) by an undefined amount in the bill’s framework.
– The bill does not remove the cap system; it raises the ceilings to increase the number of skilled foreign professionals who can work legally in the U.S. each year.
Purpose and policy design
The HIRE Act is built around a dual promise:
1. More high-skill visas for employers, particularly in technology and other high-skill fields.
2. More long-term investment in U.S. workers, especially through funding for STEM education.
Supporters say the design is meant to answer a common criticism of H-1B visas: that companies depend too heavily on foreign labor instead of training Americans. The bill links expanded access to global talent with higher federal funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, aiming to grow a stronger domestic pipeline over time.
“We fully support the HIRE Act because it strengthens the pathway for U.S. employers to recruit and retain the best global talent while protecting American workers.”
— Anju Vallabhaneni, National President of ITServe Alliance
Stakeholder perspectives
Supporters and employers:
– ITServe Alliance, which represents many employers relying on H-1B workers for software development, cloud services, and other technical roles, backs the bill.
– Business groups argue the limited cap has pushed companies to move jobs overseas when they cannot bring specialists to the U.S. 🇺🇸.
– Sectors affected include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductor design, and advanced manufacturing.
Opponents and worker advocates:
– Warn that wage standards, enforcement, and training have not kept pace.
– Fear that expansions can invite abuse if oversight is weak.
– Point to the new $100,000 fee as evidence the country should slow the flow of foreign workers and press companies to hire Americans at higher wages.
Neutral/analytical concerns:
– Immigration lawyers warn the fee hike may lead businesses—especially small and mid-sized firms—to cut back on new H-1B filings.
– Analysts note that repeated lottery rejections have led some multinational firms to expand engineering hubs in Canada 🇨🇦 and other countries with more flexible visa options (analysis by VisaVerge.com).
Financial and selection dynamics
Two layered changes complicate the landscape:
1. The Trump administration’s $100,000 petition fee, now in effect for filings after September 21, 2025, adds a steep financial barrier on top of existing filing charges and legal costs.
2. An expected shift toward a wage-based H-1B selection system, which would rank candidates by salary rather than rely on random selection.
Implications:
– A wage-based selection method would favor higher-paying roles and proponents say it better reflects labor market value.
– Critics worry it could sideline younger workers, researchers, or nonprofit employees who may be highly skilled but in lower-paid roles.
– The HIRE Act does not directly rewrite selection rules, but any cap expansion would take effect under whatever selection system is active.
STEM funding and long-term workforce strategy
The bill’s STEM education focus aims to channel some gains from high-skill immigration back into U.S. classrooms, universities, and training programs. While exact spending levels and formulas would depend on final legislative text and appropriations, the core idea is to:
- Increase federal funding for STEM education and training.
- Encourage current H-1B workers to mentor and train U.S. students.
- Grow the domestic pipeline for future specialized roles.
Supporters argue this could ease shortages over time without cutting off global talent.
Impact on international students and the master’s cap
For many foreign students on F-1 visas who complete advanced degrees in the U.S., the master’s cap is a tense bottleneck. Each spring:
– Thousands of graduates apply under the 20,000-slot master’s quota.
– Many face rejection despite job offers and years of U.S. education.
Raising both the regular and master’s caps would:
– Give more graduates a path to stay and work with U.S. employers.
– Reduce pressure on students who otherwise must leave when student-related work permissions expire.
Political prospects and what’s at stake
- The bill enters a deeply divided Congress where even targeted immigration measures can stall.
- The mix of a higher H-1B cap, rising costs (the $100,000 fee), and a potential shift to wage-based selection means employers, foreign workers, and American graduates will be watching closely.
Key questions the outcome will determine:
– How many specialists can come to the United States each year?
– Who can afford to sponsor them given higher fees and selection mechanics?
– How are the economic gains from high-skill immigration shared between global talent and the domestic workforce?
Key takeaway: The HIRE Act pairs a proposal to expand numerical access to H-1B visas with a plan to invest in STEM education, but it arrives amid major cost and selection changes that could reshape who benefits from the program.
The HIRE Act, reintroduced by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, proposes doubling the regular H-1B cap from 65,000 to 130,000 and expanding the 20,000 master’s quota. It pairs visa expansion with increased federal STEM funding to bolster the domestic talent pipeline. The proposal comes after a presidential proclamation raising the H-1B petition fee to $100,000 and amid talks of shifting to a wage-based selection system, creating both opportunities and concerns for employers, graduates, and workers.
