How many immigrants with H-1B visas live in North Texas? Changes aim to fight fraud, abuse

Dalia Faheid
·4 min read
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Highly skilled workers from other countries — who make up a significant part of the workforces in several Texas metro areas — will be impacted by big changes to the H-1B program that the Biden administration is proposing.

The H-1B visa program is the nation’s largest temporary employment visa program, according to the Pew Research Center. After the New York City metro area, Pew found Dallas-Fort Worth had the next highest total of any metro area in the U.S., with 74,000 H-1B visa approvals.

As for the number of H-1B approvals per 100 workers, College Station stood far above the rest with about 32 H-1B approvals per 100 workers, per the Pew Analysis. That’s the highest number in the country; no other metro area had more than five H-1B approvals per 100 workers. By comparison, DFW had only two approvals per 100 workers.

Demand for the high-skilled worker visas has surged in recent years, and the H-1B program is now the primary way U.S. employers hire high-skilled immigrant workers. But massive appointment backlogs abroad during the pandemic and concerns about attempts to game the system have spurred the administration to propose an overhaul of the program.

How does the the H-1B visa program work?

Every April, companies file thousands of H-1B visa applications to hire immigrant workers. Many of these applications come from technology and finance firms, as well as other fields that require specialized knowledge.

The program allows employers in the U.S. to hire immigrants to work for up to six years in jobs that require highly specialized knowledge. Workers’ employment can be extended if they have green card applications pending.

To participate in the H-1B visa program, employers must first submit applications to the U.S. Department of Labor. The application is then reviewed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before the State Department interviews the worker and issues the visa.

Applications are accepted each year starting in April, and visas are awarded to employers on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Pew Research Center. If the number of applications exceeds the annual cap of 65,000 set by Congress during the first five business days of April, visas are then awarded through a lottery system.

H-1B approvals in Texas metro areas

  • Austin-Round Rock: 8,300 approvals, 1 approval per 100 workers, average salary is $85,600, 62% with advanced degree and 22% with U.S. advanced degree.

  • College Station-Bryan: 37,800 approvals, 32 approvals per 100 workers, average salary is $82,600, 23% with advanced degree and 1% with U.S. advanced degree.

  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington: 74,000 approvals, 2 approvals per 100 workers, average salary is $77,100, 43% with advanced degree and 12% with U.S. advanced degree.

  • Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land: 28,900 approvals, 1 approval per 100 workers, average salary is $81,900, 59% with advanced degree and 20% with U.S. advanced degree.

  • San Antonio-New Braunfels: 2,600 approvals, 0.2 per 100 workers, average salary is $78,900, 50% with advanced degree and 13% with U.S. advanced degree.

Upcoming H-1B visa changes

A State Department rule to establish a domestic visa renewal pilot program is under White House review as of Oct. 17. It would allow H-1B workers to renew their visas without leaving the U.S. Visa holders are currently required to travel abroad to renew those visas, leading to long wait times and delays abroad.

Proposed regulations from the Department of Homeland Security were released Oct. 20 aiming to address a potential uptick in fraud in the visa program’s annual lottery.

It proposes basing lottery selections on unique beneficiaries, regardless of how many registrations are submitted on their behalf. It would also offer more flexibility to entrepreneurs wanting to launch businesses while on the H-1B visas. And it would adjust guidelines for site visits to H-1B dependent employers as well as requirements for filing new visa petitions when employment conditions change.

“DHS continues to develop and implement regulations that increase efficiency and improve processes for employers and workers navigating the immigration system,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas in a statement. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s priority is to attract global talent, reduce undue burdens on employers, and prevent fraud and abuse in the immigration system.”