As part of his plan to bar foreigners from seeking work in the United States, Donald Trump has suspended work visas, including the H1B visa, which is typically used by foreign IT workers.
Visa holders already in the United States and applicants who have already received a visa are exempt from the ban. The Optional Practical Training (OPT) that most foreign students are eligible for after they graduate in the US is also unaffected.
According to the Administration, the move was taken to protect American jobs. One Administration Official claimed that 525,000 jobs would become available as a result of the visa ban.
Trump has also ordered a reform of the H1B visa program in order to add a merit system to favor workers offered the highest wages and to close existing loopholes enabling outsourcing of jobs.
Currently, the suspension will end on December 31. But what really happens to the H1B visa program is probably in the hands of voters this fall.