Washington DC: A US lawmaker has unveiled plans to introduce a bill that would dismantle the H-1B visa system and end the pathway to citizenship it currently provides. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene announced the proposal in a video posted on X, arguing that the programme has “displaced American workers for decades” and has been “riddled with fraud and abuse.”
Greene said her legislation would shut down the H-1B programme entirely, with only one temporary exemption. The bill would permit up to 10,000 visas per year for medical professionals such as doctors and nurses who offer essential care. She added that even this allowance would be phased out over a decade, giving the US time to build a domestic workforce of physicians and healthcare workers.
The proposed law would also eliminate the existing pathway to US permanent residency and citizenship for H-1B holders. Under the plan, all recipients would be required to leave the country once their visa expires. Greene said her intention is to restore the “original purpose” of the H-1B programme, which she described as strictly temporary and meant only to meet short-term skill shortages.
“These visas were designed for specialised needs at specific moments,” she said. “People should not use them to settle here permanently. We thank them for their skills, but they should return to their home country once their role is completed.”
Greene argued that the programme has allowed companies in sectors including technology, healthcare and advanced industries to bypass American workers. She framed her bill as an “America First” measure aimed at prioritising local employment and reducing reliance on foreign talent.
To support the shift, the bill proposes a ban on Medicare-funded residency programmes admitting non-citizen medical graduates. Greene highlighted that more than 9,000 US medical graduates failed to secure residency placements last year, while over 5,000 foreign-trained doctors secured positions during the same period. She called this imbalance unfair and counterproductive to national interests.
Currently, the US issues 65,000 regular H-1B visas and an additional 20,000 for advanced-degree holders each year. The programme is widely used by technology firms and has a significant impact on Indian professionals, who form one of the largest groups of H-1B beneficiaries.
The proposal follows the Trump administration’s recent immigration reforms, including a new rule requiring certain H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025, to include an additional $100,000 fee as part of eligibility.
The bill is expected to trigger significant debate, given its potential consequences for US employers, global talent mobility and thousands of skilled foreign workers currently contributing to the American economy.
