U.S President, Donald Trump, has extended the suspension of issuance of work visas and green cards.
Trump had suspended issuance of the visas in April and June in order to protect job opportunities for American workers amid the rise in unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The order is now effective till the end of March 2021 and will extend into the first term of U.S president-elect, Joe Biden, who has vowed to reverse Trump’s immigration policies.
According to Trump, allowing immigrant workers into the country would “pose a risk of displacing and disadvantaging US workers during the economic recovery following the COVID-19 outbreak”.
“The effects of COVID-19 on the United States labour market and on the health of American communities is a matter of ongoing national concern.
“And the considerations present in Proclamations 10014 and 10052 have not been eliminated”, he added.
Some of the work visas which were restricted include, the new H-1B tech worker visas, H-2B seasonal worker visas, certain J work and education exchange visitor visas and L executive transfer visas.
