SB 2821, titled the American Tech Workforce Act of 2025, would substantially rewrite federal employment authorization rules for certain foreign workers. The bill would terminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which currently allows many foreign students in F-1 status to work in the United States after completing their studies, and would require pending OPT applications to be denied with fees refunded. It also would end any post-study employment authorization for F-1 students once their course of study is completed, and would bar any successor OPT program unless authorized by Congress.
The bill would also tighten the H-1B visa program. It would require employers to pay H-1B workers at least the greater of the wage paid to a comparable U.S. worker in the prior two years or $150,000 (indexed to inflation after the first year). It would limit H-1B visas to one year when any work is performed at a third-party worksite, prohibit visas for third-party placements unless the assignment is specific, nonspeculative, and lasts the full requested period, and prioritize higher-paying petitions over lower-paying ones when visas are issued. The bill further states that no federal agency may create work authorization through any program not expressly authorized by Congress.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate OPT, alter employment authorization for F-1 students, and impose new wage, duration, and worksite restrictions on H-1B petitions. It would affect foreign students, employers that hire recent graduates, staffing firms, technology companies, and other employers that rely on H-1B workers or third-party placements. The bill would also likely require significant changes in federal immigration administration and adjudication practices by USCIS and related agencies.
Sentiment
The bill text and findings reflect a strongly critical view of the H-1B and OPT programs, framing them as mechanisms that displace U.S. workers and benefit large technology companies. No committee transcript or vote data were provided, so there is no recorded legislative debate or roll-call sentiment in the materials beyond the bill’s own stated policy rationale. Based on the text alone, the bill is clearly designed to appeal to advocates of tighter immigration and labor-market protections for U.S. workers.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely to be the elimination of OPT, the high minimum wage requirement for H-1B workers, and the restrictions on third-party worksites and visa prioritization. Supporters would likely argue these changes protect U.S. wages, reduce abuse of guest-worker programs, and prevent unauthorized executive expansion of work authorization. Opponents would likely argue the bill would reduce access to skilled foreign talent, harm universities and employers that recruit international graduates, and disrupt industries that depend on flexible H-1B staffing arrangements, especially in technology and consulting.
DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025 Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2025 Dream Act Legal Workforce Act American Prosperity and Competitiveness Act