Florida Universities Propose Ban on New H-1B Visa Hires

Florida's public university system evaluates a plan to pause new H-1B visa hiring by 2027. This proposal aligns with Governor Ron DeSantis' goal to prioritize domestic workers over foreign researchers.

The college system’s Board of Governors plans to elect on introducing the proposed plan change for public comment throughout its conference on Jan. 29. The proposal states trustee boards “shall not utilize the H-1B program” for new hires via Jan. 5, 2027.

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The Ben Hillside Lion Arena on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla., on Sept. 12, 2016. Florida’s public university system might soon obstruct brand-new hires of workers with the H-1B visa program.
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Political Context and Federal Influence

DeSantis’ sights on the H-1B program are in line with the Trump administration’s. In September, Head of state Donald Trump released an announcement creating a $100,000 cost on brand-new applications for H-1B visas, triggering alarm systems in the higher education globe and various other markets that count on these workers.

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In an October letter to Noem, American Council on Education President Ted Mitchell suggested that carving out an exemption for greater ed would certainly resemble the field’s existing exemption from the nationwide yearly cap on brand-new H-1B awards, set at 85,000 per year.

DeSantis Directives on University Hiring

In October, DeSantis directed the state’s university system during an interview to “disengage on using these H-1B visas in our universities.” With the new suggested plan, the governing board would certainly carry that out through an approximately 1 year pause on H-1B hiring.

The plan would execute the desires of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, that routed the system’s governing board in October to end what he called “H-1B misuse” at Florida universities. DeSantis said that Florida’s colleges were employing international employees through the program over certified Americans.

The H-1B visa program is planned to allow U.S. employers to employ extremely informed foreign employees for specialized placements, such as software program development or study. Lots of prominent colleges, consisting of those in Florida, count on the program to hire researchers.

Institutional Statistics and Foreign Researchers

The College of Florida, the state’s flagship, employed 253 employees with the H-1B visa program in financial 2025, according to government data. Statewide, it was complied with by Florida State University, with 110 H-1B employees, and the University of South Florida, with 107.