U.S. lawmakers propose raising H-1B visa salary threshold to $140,000

A Republican lawmaker has introduced the ‘Protecting American Workers Through H-1B Modernization Act’ in the U.S. House of Representatives, aiming to significantly increase the salary threshold for H-1B visa holders.

Representative Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin proposed the bill to replace the current $60,000 annual salary floor—a figure unchanged since 1998—with a standard tied to twice the Social Security Administration’s national average wage index. This change would raise the threshold to approximately $140,000. The legislation seeks to prevent H-1B-dependent employers from using outdated salary minimums to bypass protections intended for American workers.

A companion bill, S. 5638, was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jon Husted of Ohio. While the bill would raise the threshold, certain exemptions remain for workers earning at least $60,000 or those holding a master’s degree or higher, though the proposal intends to adjust those exemption standards as well. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.