Two U.S. Congresswomen on Thursday introduced a bill in the House of Representatives aimed at giving H-4 visa holders automatic right to work in the United States. The two lawmakers introduced the law, which aims to address the labor shortage in the country by influencing American business and helping immigrant families improve together.
H-4 visas are issued to dependent spouses and children who travel to the United States with H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, and H-3 visa holders. Many H-4 visa holders are highly skilled individuals in their own right and have previously had their own careers or work to support their families.
Introduced by Congressmen Caroline Bordeaux and Maria Elvira Salazar, the H-4 Work Authorization Act seeks to change the current law and give H-1B visa holders spouses the right to work automatically after receiving their H-4 visas. It will remove 7 They said visa holders need to apply for a Form I-765, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
“Right now, the wives of high-skilled immigrants have to fight through the bureaucratic red tape before being allowed to work in the United States,” Bordeaux said. “This bill removes these unnecessary barriers to ensure that families can contribute and prosper. If we are to continue to compete and attract the greatest minds and talents in the world, we must ensure that family members of high-value immigrants You will be able to build a life and career in the United States like everyone else, “he said.
Salazar said the policy would help the United States maximize its entrepreneurial spirit and play a leading role in job creation, innovation, research and development, and economic growth by meeting the demands of key labor markets. Currently, H-4 visa holders must apply for a work permit and wait for it to process before they can work, even though they are already in the United States and their spouse is working here.
Due to a backlog in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), applications for work permits can take six to eight months, with some applications taking up to a year to be approved. The bill, which has been approved by the National Immigration 7 The Forum and UnidosUs hope to fill the labor gap in America and allow these visa holders to work faster and support their families.
It could also help reduce the backlog of work permit applications to USCIS by giving H-4 visa holders immediate work approvals and reducing the number of work approvals that USCIS has to process, a media release said.
