US suspends work visas and green cards until end of 2020
The US government will suspend certain non-immigrant work visas and extend an existing ban on certain green cards until the end of the year, the Trump administration announced today, as America gr
The suspension will include H-1B visas for high-skilled workers, which are frequently used by technology companies, and H-2B visas for seasonal guest workers. The new restrictions won’t apply to visa-holders already in the US.
A senior government official estimated the new travel restrictions will prevent around 525,000 people from entering the country between now and the end of the year.
“He is leading an ‘American First’ recovery and as part of that he’s extending and expanding the suspension of certain visas through 31 December,” a US official said.
US President Donald Trump had previously hinted that he might extend a two-month hiatus on issuing green cards for foreign workers, sparking concern from US businesses that fresh restrictions could harm the US economy as it struggles to recover from the coronavirus crisis.
Analysts have predicted that the number of green cards issued annually will drop more than two thirds this year, from 1m to 300,000.
The US has now reported more than 122,000 coronavirus-related deaths and over 2.3m confirmed cases since the beginning of the outbreak. New clusters of infection in 29 US states have escalated concerns of a potential second wave, sending the US dollar down today and causing higher risk currencies including the Australian dollar to jump.
It comes after days of campaign rallies around the US, as Trump gears for the upcoming presidential election in November.
Anti-immigration sentiment touted by the President was a focal point of his successful campaign at the 2016 election. Political analysts have predicted that Trump will return to the issue this year, particularly as he limps behind Democrat rival Joe Biden in the polls.
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