US lawmaker Jim Sensenbrenner wants to abolish H-1B visa lottery system

Sensenbrenner dismissed partisan charges leveled against this executive order.

Republican representative Jim Sensenbrenner has proposed to abolish the existing H-1B lottery system to cleanse the immigration system of abuses.

In an op-ed in Forbes Magazine on Monday, Sensenbrenner said that abolishing the lottery system can restore the original purpose of H-1B visa – to bring in highly qualified professional, whom he calls “best and brightest” to the US.

Sensenbrenner also added that the existing H-1B visa program is in a really bad shape and is in need of an immediate overhaul, which should be undertaken seriously with long-sightedness.

He said the current work-visa rules are being misused by the American companies to replace American workers by hiring foreign workforce with fewer skills, on minimal wages. According to him, this practice not only hurts the real intention of the program but also leaves the American workers disheartened and jobless.

In the write-up, he mentioned the case of Walt Disney Company that fired American workers to hire the Indian H-1Bs. He said that such gross violations of the visa norms is happening all across the country, and that it needs to be addressed on a priority basis.

He added that there exists a need for serious reforms in the H-1B visa program that can create a level playing field, which will, in turn, bring jobs back to Americans.

Sensenbrenner proposed that the new reformed H-1B selection process should be able to approve visas only for applicants with specialized skills for specific positions. The current lottery system is ridden with loops that allow companies to discard American workers and fill their spots with cheaper foreign workers, he said.

He cited the example of Cognizant, which had earlier said in a statement that it complies with all norms set by the US regarding H-1B visas. Sensenbrenner said, “If this is truly the case, it’s imperative we reassess the laws and regulations governing the H-1B visa program to ensure that our country no longer tolerates questionable hiring and firing practices of American and foreign workers.”

Sensenbrenner said that the “Buy American Hire American “executive order, even though applies broadly to all U.S. visa programs, has clauses that “specifically address the problems within the H-1B visa program and demands reforms that ensure these visas are only awarded to companies that actually require highly skilled foreign workers.” He also dismissed the partisan charges leveled against this executive order.

The Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, Sensenbrenner said that he is working with his colleagues to make sure that the new reforms restore the real purpose that will “encourage growth, competition, and diversity in the American workforce.”