Congress opens U.S. work visas to Peru—if Peru reciprocates
H.R. 5335 — PERU Act of 2025 · Filed by Nellie Pou (D-NJ) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 11, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill adds Peru to the list of countries whose citizens can obtain E-1 (treaty trader) and E-2 (treaty investor) visas to work and invest in the United States, but only if Peru grants the same visa privileges to American citizens. The bill creates a reciprocal trade-visa arrangement between the two countries.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is to add Peru to the list of countries eligible for E-1/E-2 nonimmigrant status, contingent on reciprocal treatment. This is a straightforward bilateral trade-visa arrangement with no hidden provisions or riders.
What the text implies
- E-1/E-2 visa holders are not subject to the same labor-market testing or wage requirements as H-1B visa holders, potentially allowing Peruvian nationals to undercut prevailing wages in certain professional and trading roles without formal attestation.
- The reciprocity condition is self-executing but unenforceable within the bill itself — if Peru fails to reciprocate, the U.S. has no automatic remedy; enforcement would require separate diplomatic or legislative action.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
U.S. exporters and traders seeking Peruvian market access; U.S. investment firms with Peruvian operations; Peruvian exporters and traders seeking U.S. market access