House Republicans Call For 400,000 Low-Skilled Foreign Work Visas

The proposed House immigration bill calls for 400,000 new H-2B visas, which allow foreign workers to work temporarily in the U.S. in what are considered low-skilled trades. The House version doubles the number of visas called for in the Senate version, which already included a hike of annual visas to 220,000 within five years. The Senate’s version calls for a cap of 20,000 in the first year — rising to 75,000 by the fourth year before allowing the final hike.

The move for more low-waged worker visas in the House is being led by the GOP, particularly Reps. Ted Poe of Texas and Raul Labrador of Idaho, who co-sponsored legislation that seeks to increase the number of H-2B visas.

The Republican Party, typically seen as more conservative in their approach to immigration reform, is now leading the way for low-wage foreign residents to work in the country — a move that’s a boost to businesses already relying on low-wage foreign workers.

Businesses have lobbied for no cap on the number of low-wage foreign worker visas, while unions like the AFL-CIO have pressured congressional leaders to severely limit the number of guest worker visas, claiming the onslaught of foreign workers demanding less hurts American workers — not only in terms of jobs available, but ultimate compensation.

“As the global recession continues to take its toll on the American economy, this is an opportune time to re-examine the H-2B program and to evaluate whether these jobs could be filled with people already in the United States,” Center for Immigration Studies Fellow David Seminara wrote.