S. 5638, Labor Market Protectionist Measure. Quorum's AI analysis reads it as a trade-off: gains for some, costs for others.
S. 5638 · Mixed
What it does
This bill raises the minimum wage required for employers sponsoring H-1B visa workers from a fixed $60,000 to twice the national average wage index (approximately $168,000 in 2024). The change applies to 'exempt' H-1B positions—those claimed to be specialty occupations where no U.S. workers are available. The stated intent is to make H-1B sponsorship more expensive, reducing employer incentive to hire foreign workers over Americans.
The analysis names U.S. workers in specialty occupations (tech, healthcare, finance) competing with H-1B hires — and 1 more group — among the beneficiaries.
The trade-off
Wage floor indexed to national average will auto-adjust annually without further legislative action, creating a dynamic rather than static constraint on H-1B hiring.
Transparency scores 95%, with a medium warning level and no provisions unrelated to the bill's subject.
Who is behind it
Filed by Jon Husted.
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