Black Market in H-1B Visas has developed

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has permitted the development of a black market for H1B Visas, according to a report in World Journal. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recently criticized the Bush Administration for not upholding H-1B work visa regulations and wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff documenting abuse of the H-1B visa program. The World Journal’s review of court documents show that there is now a black market for H-1B visas in the United States. Companies now often apply for H-1B work visas for people who don’t have legal jobs waiting for them, and then lease the H-1B visa holders out to work for other companies, which is an illegal practice under current regulations. Grassley also said most of the H-1B visas are used by foreign-headquartered companies, and American companies who need high-tech international employees get only a small part of the annual quota.