Trump visa policies have Colorado employers scrambling

Iterate.ai heavily relies on highly skilled tech workers from around the world to meet the demand for its customized artificial intelligence agent systems. The company brings some of these workers to the U.S. under the H-1B program whenever possible.

However, the company’s growth plans were disrupted last month when the Trump administration issued a presidential proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee per visa for new petitioners of the H-1B program. The administration also hinted at implementing a higher-wage floor, favoring older and more highly skilled workers.

According to Jon Nordmark, CEO and co-founder of Iterate.ai, the steep fee makes it nearly impossible to hire workers on H-1B visas. As a result, the company is considering locating more workers in Toronto and fewer in Denver and San Jose, where it is currently based.

The changes in the H-1B program are expected to impact tech employers in states like Colorado, where smaller and younger firms dominate the industry. Companies may face challenges in hiring skilled foreign talent, particularly startups and mid-sized companies with limited resources.

While larger tech firms may find it easier to cover the fee, the changes in the program could disadvantage smaller companies, giving bigger firms an unfair advantage in talent acquisition.

The Trump administration’s revisions to visa programs have raised concerns across various industries. Landscaping, tourism, agriculture, and construction sectors are closely watching for further developments that could affect foreign worker visa programs they rely on.

Construction, in particular, is facing labor shortages, with about a third of workers in the industry being foreign-born. Tougher immigration policies and a lack of dedicated visa programs are exacerbating the challenges faced by construction firms.

To address these labor shortages, the Associated General Contractors of America is supporting the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement bill, which proposes the creation of a new H-2C visa program. This program aims to address labor shortages in non-agricultural, less-skilled, year-round jobs by offering 65,000 visas annually for three-year terms.

Overall, the changes in visa programs and immigration policies are impacting various industries and raising concerns about talent acquisition, workforce stability, and economic growth.

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