Committee approves bill to eliminate per-country limits on high-skilled immigrants

The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill on Thursday from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) that would eliminate per-country limits on employment-based visas and expand those limits for family visas.

The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act passed with bipartisan support by voice vote and will head to the House floor for consideration. Co-sponsors include chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), Immigration subpanel ranking member Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.).

“I am committed to fixing legal immigration,” Chaffetz said in a statement. “By removing per country limits, American companies will be able to access the best talent. This legislation is pro-growth, pro-jobs, and pro-family. I encourage my colleagues in the House to pass this bipartisan legislation.”

Chaffetz told Hillicon on Wednesday that the current system, where no country may be allotted more than 7 percent of employment or family visas, is unfair and should be modified. His bill would eliminate the limit for employment-based visas and raise it to 15 percent for family visas.

"If that means we get more [immigrants] from India and fewer from Finland, so be it," Chaffetz said, arguing the elimination of the arbitrary per-country limits would enable U.S. firms to seek and hire the best foreign talent.

Chaffetz emphasized the bill would not raise the total number of employment-based visas available (140,000) but only ensure they go to the most deserving applicants.

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