A new legislative proposal in the United States could significantly impact thousands of skilled foreign professionals, particularly Indians working under the H-1B visa system. US lawmaker Bonnie Watson Coleman has introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives that seeks to roll back strict rules imposed on the programme during the administration of President Donald Trump.
The proposed legislation, called the Welcoming International Success Act (WISA), aims to reverse changes announced in September 2025 that made it much more difficult and costly for American employers to hire foreign professionals through the H-1B visa route.
Those earlier changes reportedly created major challenges for companies, universities, hospitals and research institutions that rely heavily on international talent. Officials had also described the H-1B programme as one of the most frequently abused parts of the US immigration system.
What the WISA proposes
The WISA bill aims to undo key provisions introduced under Trump’s September 2025 immigration proclamation.
If the legislation is approved, it would:
- Cancel the immigration proclamation issued in September 2025
- Remove or reduce the $100,000 employer fee
- Ease strict wage requirements introduced under the new policy
- Make it easier for organisations to hire highly skilled foreign professionals
According to the bill, the proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” would effectively lose legal effect if the legislation becomes law.
Watson Coleman said the current rules have created “significant barriers” for American employers and institutions that depend on skilled workers from across the world.
What is the H-1B visa programme?
The H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised roles where skilled workers are limited or unavailable in the domestic workforce.
These roles typically require advanced training or specialised knowledge and are common in fields such as:
- Information technology
- Engineering
- Healthcare
- Scientific research
- Education and academia
Technology companies, universities, hospitals and research centres in the US rely heavily on this visa programme to fill specialised positions.
Indian professionals are the largest beneficiaries of the system. More than 70% of H-1B visas are issued to Indian nationals, while applicants from China account for about 12%.
Debate over the H-1B system
The H-1B visa programme continues to face political debate in the US.
In January 2026, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced the End H-1B Now Act, which proposes eliminating the visa category entirely from US immigration law.
Another proposal followed in February 2026 when Representative Greg Steube introduced the EXILE Act (Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions Act), which aims to gradually phase out the H-1B programme by 2027.
How the WISA could affect Indians
The proposed legislation is particularly important for Indian professionals because they dominate the H-1B visa system.
Recent estimates show:
- About 7.3 lakh H-1B visa holders currently live in the US
- Around 5.5 lakh dependents, including spouses and children, live with them
- More than 70% of visa holders are from India
Because Indians form such a large share of the programme, any policy change could directly impact thousands of Indian engineers, IT professionals, researchers and healthcare workers.
For the bill to become law, it must first pass the US House of Representatives and then be approved by the Senate. After that, it will need the President’s signature. Until then, the H-1B rules introduced in 2025 will remain in effect.
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