The White House is signaling a significant shift in its immigration policy with an amplified ‘America First’ focus, including a crackdown on work permits. This strategic move involves more rigorous vetting procedures for foreign nationals seeking employment opportunities in the U.S. A notable change is the implementation of mandatory social media checks for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependent family members, starting December 15th.
To comply with the new guidelines, all applicants for H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J visas are instructed to make their social media profiles public. This measure is designed to enable officials to review online activities, reinforcing the principle that visa acquisition is a privilege and a matter of national security. The U.S. State Department has emphasized its commitment to vigilant assessment of all potential risks associated with visa applicants.
This policy update is expected to significantly impact Indian professionals who are frequent recipients of H-1B visas. It also echoes prior actions aimed at curbing alleged abuses of the H-1B program. The administration had previously introduced a substantial application fee for new H-1B visas and temporarily suspended certain immigration application processing for individuals from designated ‘countries of concern’ following a recent violent incident.
