WASHINGTON — A federal investigation has found significant problems in a controversial program granting temporary visas to skilled foreign workers.
The study by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, found intentional fraud or technical violations in almost 21 percent of the applications for H-1B visas they reviewed.
The findings, finalized last month, give new ammunition to advocacy groups that say the program lets U.S. companies bypass American workers in favor of lower-paid foreigners. Large businesses, particularly technology companies, say H-1B visas are an important way to staff specialized positions.
However, both sides and Congress members agree that the government needs to provide more oversight.
"The American people trust that this program is limited to workers whose special qualifications are necessary to sustain a growing economy," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas. "We cannot allow individuals to abuse H-1B visas in order to enter the country fraudulently and take jobs from American workers."
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In order to obtain H-1B status, foreign workers must be sponsored by an American company that agrees to employ them in a specific task for the entire three-year duration of the visa.
But the study, which randomly reviewed 246 applications submitted between October 2005 and March 2006, found visa holders using fraudulent documents, being sponsored by nonexistent companies or working in unrelated fields.
Each sponsoring company pays a $500 anti-fraud fee for each visa it obtains. H-1Bs make up only about 1 percent of all non-immigrant visas, but they have been a lightning rod in the debate over how globalization impacts U.S. jobs.
