New US Policy On H-4 Visa Holders May Relax Indians

Washington: Two prominent US lawmakers have tabled a legislation in the House of Representatives to safeguard the work authorization of H-4 visa holders, mostly partners of Indian professionals holding H-1B visas.

Most of H-4 visa holders are highly skilled professionals, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier extended the permissibility for employment authorization to them, recognizing the economic burden of families of many H-1B holders, specifically those who stay in expensive areas like Silicon Valley with single earners, as they wait for green card approval, the lawmakers said.

This week, the Trump administration publicized plans to reverse the DHS regulations that permitted certain H-4 dependent partners of H-1B visa holders, who are jammed under Green Card backlogs, to get employment authorizations, begin their careers, and contribute to the US economy, said Anna G Eshoo and Zoe Lofgren, the lawmakers.

Since the policy was formulated, more than 100,000 workers, particularly women, have gotten employment authorization, and the H-4 Employment Protection Act bans the Trump administration from reversing this significant rule. “H-4 visa holders deserve a chance to contribute to their local economies and provide for their families.” Eshoo said. “This is a matter of economic fairness.”

H-4 visa holders had received their permits under a special order directed by the previous Obama administration. A considerable number of Indian-Americans were benefitted by this provision.

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