United States · Bill · S
S. 979 (118th)
H–1B and L–1 Visa Reform Act of 2023
Introduced
27 March 2023
Last action
—
Status
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S957-964)
Sponsors
—
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2023 This bill modifies requirements related to H-1B (specialty occupation) and L-1 (intracompany transfers) nonimmigrant visas and contains related provisions. Provisions relating to H-1B visas include requiring the Department of Labor to review petitions for indicators of fraud or misrepresentation of material fact; requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize certain petitions, with top priority for workers with advanced degrees in science, technology, or engineering; requiring an H-1B worker to possess at minimum a bachelor's degree to meet specialty occupation requirements (currently, relevant experience may be used instead); and prohibiting an individual classifiable in certain H-1B categories from obtaining a B-1 (temporary business visitor) visa. Provisions relating to L-1 visas include requiring a waiver from Labor for an L-1 worker to be primarily stationed with an employer other than the petitioning employer; prohibiting an individual from receiving an L-1 visa to open or be employed in a new office if the individual has received two or more such visas in the last two years; and increasing the L-1 worker minimum wage to the highest of certain amounts, such as the median wage for the worker's occupational classification in the area of employment (currently, an L-1 worker must be paid at least the higher of the federal or state minimum wage). In regards to both visas, the bill (1) expands the authority of DHS and Labor to take various enforcement actions, and (2) directs DHS to conduct annual audits of a certain percentage of employers.
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Versions
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Documents
3 official files
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 27 March 2023
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 27 March 2023
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 27 March 2023
Sponsors
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Sources
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- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/979
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/118/s/979