Washington: The Obama administration, looking to make adjustments to the nation’s immigration system while broader legislation is stalled in Congress, announced plans to allow the spouses of some highly skilled temporary immigrants to work in the United States.
The proposals address visa rules that have long caused difficulties for the spouses of skilled immigrants, mainly from China, India and the Philippines, who are working here on temporary visas known as H-1B. The spouses, mainly wives, often have skills and education, too, but are not authorized to work in the United States.
High-tech employers welcomed the plans. Fred Humphries, a vice-president at Microsoft, one of the biggest users of H-1B visas, said they would have “a positive economic impact.”