The number of H-1B visa applications approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has declined by nearly 40% since the implementation of new, strengthened rules in 2017, VisaGuide reported.

This significant drop has raised concerns among businesses and skilled workers who rely on the H-1B program to fill critical talent gaps in the US workforce.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require a bachelor’s degree or higher.

The Trump administration implemented several changes to the H-1B program in 2017, including scrutinizing H-1B applications more closely, requesting additional documentation and evidence from employers, the minimum salary for H-1B workers was increased and placing restrictions on companies that use H-1B workers to replace American workers or outsource jobs overseas.

These changes have made it more difficult for companies to obtain H-1B visas for their employees.

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In fiscal year 2016, USCIS approved 236,000 H-1B applications. However, in fiscal year 2022, only 141,000 H-1B applications were approved.

The decline in H-1B approvals has hurt both businesses and skilled workers.

Businesses are struggling to find the talent they need to fill critical roles while skilled workers are being denied the opportunity to work and live in the United States.

The Biden administration has indicated that it plans to review the Trump-era changes to the program.