H-1B Job Mobility Nears General Workforce Rates, Calls for Streamlined Reforms Emerge

A recent social media post by Connor O’Brien highlights that H-1B visa holders demonstrate job mobility rates approaching those of the general U.S. workforce, sparking discussions on potential program reforms. O'Brien stated, "About 20% of H-1Bs change employers every year. The rate for the overall workforce is about 25%." He emphasized the need to "close that gap by removing frictions to job mobility in the H-1B program."

Data from a Cato Institute study supports this comparison, indicating that H-1B workers are increasingly switching jobs. The study found that H-1B workers changed jobs over 1 million times between 2005 and 2023, with a record 130,576 switches in 2022. This translates to an annual job change rate for H-1B workers of approximately 20.4%, while college graduates in the general workforce had a monthly job change rate of 2.1%, annualizing to roughly 25.2%.

Despite this rising mobility, significant barriers continue to impede H-1B visa holders. Employers face substantial fees when sponsoring an H-1B worker transferring from another company, including basic filing fees, fraud prevention and detection fees, and training fees that can amount to thousands of dollars. The H-1B transfer process itself can take several months without expedited premium processing, adding uncertainty for both workers and new employers.

Further complicating mobility is the extensive green card backlog, particularly for professionals from countries like India, which can tie workers to their initial sponsoring employer for extended periods. Additionally, the current 60-day grace period for H-1B workers to find a new job after termination is often deemed insufficient, placing immense pressure on individuals during unexpected job losses. These regulatory hurdles contribute to a perception of limited autonomy for H-1B professionals.

Advocates for reform, aligning with O'Brien's tweet, argue that streamlining the H-1B program to reduce these frictions would benefit both the visa holders and the U.S. economy. Enhanced job mobility could foster greater innovation, allow companies to more easily attract and retain top talent, and ensure that skilled workers can contribute effectively without undue bureaucratic constraints.