WASHINGTON– Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that he has directed the state’s Board of Governors to end the use of H-1B visas across all state universities, insisting that jobs currently held by foreign workers should be filled by Florida residents.
Speaking at a press conference at the University of South Florida in Tampa, DeSantis said the move is intended to ensure that Florida citizens are “first in line for job opportunities.” He emphasized that state universities must prioritize local hiring over international recruitment under the federal H-1B program, which allows U.S. institutions to employ foreign nationals in specialty occupations.
According to DeSantis, a state review found university employees on H-1B visas in a variety of roles, including assistant professors, coordinators, analysts, and staff members in athletics and communications. He questioned whether these positions required skills unavailable within the state’s workforce.
“Why are we bringing people in to assess our accreditation on an H-1B visa? We can’t do that with our own people?” DeSantis said, describing the practice as a form of “cheap labor” and urging university leaders to overhaul their hiring practices.
The review identified H-1B employees from countries including China, Spain, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Albania. DeSantis cited examples such as a bio-analytical core director, a psychologist, a communications manager, and a coastal research specialist among those hired through the program.
The announcement came a week after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released new guidance regarding the H-1B program’s proposed $100,000 application fee, outlining several exemptions and exceptions. The guidelines clarify that workers switching to H-1B status from other visa categories, such as F-1 student visas, or those seeking amendments or extensions within the United States, will not be required to pay the fee. Current H-1B holders will also continue to travel freely in and out of the country.
The White House reaffirmed last week that President Donald Trump’s visa reform agenda aims to prioritize American workers. The administration’s H-1B policy continues to face legal challenges, including two lawsuits filed in federal courts—one brought by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s largest business organization. (Source: IANS)
