Congressman Shri Thanedar recently introduced a new bill to the U.S. Congress. The bill is HR 9023, also known as the “Keep STEM Graduates in America Act.” Congressman Thanedar said it could increase access to H-1B visas for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates.

As stated in the Act’s name, HR 9023 aims to retain graduates in the STEM fields. It would do so by expanding the number of available H-1B visas. Congressman Thanedar also intends to simplify the application process and develop a generous extension process for those seeking new employment.

These visas have proven essential for STEM fields because they provide a primary means for employers to acquire skilled foreign labor. H-1B visas assist employers unable to meet their labor needs “to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.” However, employers must have qualified positions to request H-1B visa workers.

Qualified positions include a “specialty occupation is one that requires the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and the attainment of at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.” As such, eligible positions would include occupations requiring many of the most sought-after categories of STEM professionals. However, many employers have struggled to acquire these specialized workers under the current law.

The current law sets the maximum number of available H-1B visas to 65,000. However, the 2024 fiscal year saw over 780,000 registrations for H-1B visas. This discrepancy in supply and demand is one significant reason why many graduates feel dissuaded from applying for this visa category. Some cases have taken months, leaving the graduates uncertain whether they could receive a visa.

According to an announcement from Congressman Thanedar, increasing the current cap could improve graduates’ chances of receiving these limited visas. However, Congressman Thanedar has yet to disclose the exact text of the bill. What the new cap would become and how the bill intends to incorporate other changes remains uncertain.

Employers seeking specialized foreign workers under the H-1B visa program will likely welcome HR 9023. However, they should remember that hiring comes with paperwork challenges. One example is the employment eligibility verification (Form I-9) process. One way to overcome hiring obstacles is using an electronic I-9 management tool. This tool offers guidance throughout the I-9 process, digital storage for forms and related documents, an optional E-Verify integration, and more.

When it comes to your employees, automation makes eligibility verification quick and simple. Ensure compliance today with I-9 Compliance.

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