WASHINGTON—A judge has decided that H-1B visa holders’ spouses can work in the US, a relief for foreign IT employees.
Save Jobs USA’s lawsuit to invalidate the Obama-era regulation granting employment authorisation cards to spouses of certain H-1B visa holders was denied by US District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft opposed the lawsuit, as did many immigrants who feared it would hurt their finances. American spouses of H-1B employees have received nearly 100,000 work authorizations.
The judge ruled that Congress authorised the US government to allow H-4 spouses to work in the US.
Save Jobs USA maintained that Congress had not authorised the Department of Homeland Security. To allow H-4 visa holders to work in the US.
The judge unconvinced and stated that decades of executive-branch practise and congressional and implied endorsement of that conduct violate the Immigration and Nationality Act.
She said Congress’ approval is further shown by the federal government’s longstanding and transparent duty for permitting employment for similar visa classes.
“The Department of Homeland Security and its predecessors have approved work not just for students. But also for their spouses and dependents,” the judge ruled.
Immigrant rights advocates applauded the victory, saying it will help suffering families, while Save Jobs USA plans to appeal.
Moreover, As previously stated, the H-1B programme allows US employers to temporarily engage foreign employees in occupations. It require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialised knowledge. As well as a bachelor’s degree or higher in the speciality, or its equivalent.
Architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine, health, education, business specialisations, accounting, law, theology, and the arts are H-1B speciality vocations.