US EditionTrump administration orders enhanced vetting for applicants of H-1B visa
The Trump administration targets H-1B visa holders linked to censorship, applying new vetting to all applicants amid concerns over free speech suppression in tech roles.
- On Wednesday , the Trump administration ordered increased vetting of H-1B visa applicants, applying immediately to new and repeat candidates and targeting those linked to censorship roles.
- The administration has framed expanded vetting around free speech concerns, making it a policy focus and following prior student visas screening and September H-1B fees increases.
- U.S. consular officers were directed to comb applicants' resumes and profiles, including family members who would travel with applicants, and to pursue ineligibility findings if they uncover evidence of censorship, the State Department cable said.
- With H-1B visas vital for firms recruiting from India and China, employers may find recruitment constrained as screening targets social media and financial services roles, affecting company leaders who supported Trump.
- Reporting shows the measures had not been previously disclosed, Reuters published the guidance after seeing a State Department cable, and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment.
43 Articles
43 Articles
State Department to deny visas to fact checkers and others, citing 'censorship'
The order is focused on applicants for H-1B visas, which are frequently used by tech companies and is part of a campaign by the Trump administration against online content moderation.
Officials are to evaluate CVs and LinkedIn profiles of foreign professionals. Anyone who has worked in areas such as content moderation, online security or facts check should be rejected.
The Trump administration is intensifying the examination of H-1B visa applications. Applicants who have been involved in censorship in the past could be rejected in the future.
Your LinkedIn profile is now evidence - Trump expands H-1B visa screening for censorship work
The Trump administration now requires consular officers to scrutinise H-1B applicants’ LinkedIn profiles and résumés for any role linked to ‘censorship,’ triggering major concern across the tech industry.
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