Central Wisconsin News

Wisconsin Representative Tom Tiffany has expressed concerns over American students investing years in obtaining degrees, only for universities to offer good jobs to foreign workers on special visas. He said that the Colleges for the American People Act (CAP Act) aims to end these "backdoor hiring practices" and prioritize American workers.

"American students spend years earning degrees, only to watch universities hand good-paying jobs to foreign workers on special visas," said Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wi). "The CAP Act ensures our institutions invest in the people they are meant to serve and ends the backdoor hiring practices that undercut American workers."

According to Tiffany and Andrew Clyde, who introduced the CAP Act, the legislation proposes removing the exemption that allows higher education institutions to hire unlimited foreign workers under the H-1B visa program. Currently, the Department of State issues 65,000 H-1B specialty-occupation visas annually. However, universities are not subject to this cap, enabling them to hire foreign employees without restriction. The CAP Act would require all university hires, including professors and administrative staff, to compete under the standard visa cap.

Rep. Tom Tiffany | House.gov

A recent report highlighted that the University of Wisconsin System employs 495 foreign nationals on H-1B visas with combined salaries nearing $43 million per year. This occurs while tuition fees have increased due to rising operational costs. By eliminating the exemption, the CAP Act seeks to align university hiring practices with those of other industries by requiring them to follow the same visa application process.

The bill does not affect current H-1B visa holders at universities; their visa extensions can continue up to a six-year maximum before new rules apply. The legislation is intended to encourage higher education institutions to prioritize training and hiring American workers by placing all foreign hires under the existing visa cap and process.

Tiffany represents Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District and was elected in May 2020 during a special election. He grew up on a dairy farm near Elmwood, Wisconsin, and holds a degree in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Before serving in Congress, Tiffany was part of the Wisconsin State Assembly and State Senate, focusing on tax reduction, job creation, and Second Amendment rights protection.