Trump-era ban on H-1B visas expires

Indian professionals account for more than 70% of the 85,000 H-1B visas granted by the US every year

The US state department on Thursday confirmed the Trump-era proclamation suspending non-immigrant short-term visas such as H-1B expired on March 31.

US President Joe Biden holds his first cabinet meeting in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday (AFP)

“Visa applicants who have not yet been interviewed or scheduled for an interview will have their applications prioritised and processed in accordance with existing phased resumption of visa services guidance,” the state department said in an update on its website.

“Visa applicants who were previously refused visas due to the restrictions of Presidential Proclamation 10052 may reapply by submitting a new application including a new fee,” it added, referring to the June 22, 2020 proclamation issued by then President Donald Trump suspending the entry of “additional workers through the H-1B, H-2B, J, and L nonimmigrant visa programmes … (as it) presents a significant threat to employment opportunities for Americans affected by the extraordinary economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak”.

As reported by Hindustan Times on Wednesday, the proclamation was set to expire on March 31 if it was not extended by President Joe Biden. It was not.

Indian professionals account for more than 70% of the 85,000 H-1B visas granted by the US every year, against petitions filed by American employers.