Stay put, DFA advices Pinoys in US with H-1B visas
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has urged Filipinos in the United States who hold nonimmigrant working visas to postpone their trips abroad for now to avoid being slapped with additional costs or possible restrictions upon their return after the Trump administration introduced more reforms in its visa program to limit the entry of foreigners.
The DFA clarified, however, that the new policy does not apply to those who already have H-1B visas, or nonimmigrants working temporarily in specialty jobs.
“The recent proclamation restricting the entry of certain nonimmigrant workers to the United States has raised understandable concern among our ‘kababayans,’” it said in a statement. “We wish to assure the public that Filipinos account for only 1.3 percent of all H-1B visa holders, and those already in the US will not be affected by this measure.”
One-time fee
But at the same time, the DFA cautioned them against “unnecessary travel” outside of the United States as the new policy is still fresh and the regulations on reentry have yet to be “fully clarified.”
“Should travel outside the US be unavoidable, we encourage them to consult their employers in advance, as employers may be required to shoulder additional costs, such as the one-time fee of $100,000 (equivalent to about P5.8 million) when facilitating their employee’s reentry,” it said.
The DFA was referring to the additional requirements for new applicants of the H-1B visa which took effect on Sept. 21. These include the $100,000 fee which aims to curb what US President Donald Trump called the “large-scale replacement” of American workers by “lower-paid and lower-skilled” foreign workers.
Trump’s gripe
“Some employers, using practices now widely adopted by entire sectors, have abused the H-1B statute and its regulations to artificially suppress wages, resulting in a disadvantageous labor market for American citizens,” he said on Sept. 19 when he announced the entry restrictions.
Trump claimed this has made it “more difficult to attract and retain the highest skilled subset of temporary workers,” with the heaviest impact seen in the science, technology, engineering and math sector.
He also directed the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize highly-skilled and highly-paid foreign nonimmigrants over those at “lower wage levels.”
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services, however, said in an advisory on its website that the new rules do not change renewal fees for current H1-B holders and will also not bar them from traveling in and out of the United States.
