SKIL Act, H-1B Bills Introduced in the Senate

During the weeks preceding and following the first day of H-1B filing, members of the Senate introduced three bills aimed at reforming U.S. visa programs for highly skilled foreign workers or providing temporary relief from the H-1B cap.                               

SKIL Act (S. 1083)

On 4/10/07, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Securing Knowledge, Innovation and Leadership (SKIL) Act of 2007 (S. 1083). Although the bill text is not yet available, the act is expected to propose reforms to address the restrictive H-1B visa cap and alleviate the employment-based green card backlogs. Senator Cornyn authored the bill; original cosponsors include Senators Allard (R-CO), Bennett (R-UT), Hutchison (R-TX), and Lott (R-MS).                               

High-Tech Worker Relief Act (S. 1092)

On 4/11/07, Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) introduced the High-Tech Worker Relief Act (S. 1092). Unlike the broader provisions of the SKIL Act, this bill focuses more narrowly on providing temporary relief from the H-1B cap. The text of S.1092 is available on AILA’s Proposed Legislation page.                               

H-1B and L-1 Visa Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act (S. 1035)

On 3/29/07, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced the H-1B and L-1 Visa Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act (S. 1035). In contrast to the above bills, S. 1035 would create new restrictions and requirements for the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. AILA opposes this bill. The text of S.1035 is available on AILA’s Proposed Legislation page.                               

Source:  Aila InfoNet