A major shift in U.S. immigration policy could severely impact thousands of African skilled professionals who depend on the H-1B visa to access employment and eventually citizenship in the United States.
Joseph Edlow, the new head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has announced significant changes to the H-1B visa system and the naturalization test—moves analysts say could disproportionately affect immigrants from developing regions, particularly Africa.
Shortly after taking office, Edlow said the current H-1B structure no longer meets the needs of the American labor market and must be urgently overhauled.
In an interview with The New York Times, he remarked, “The test as it’s laid out right now isn’t very difficult. It’s easy to simply memorize the answers, and I don’t think that truly reflects the spirit of the law.”
He also stated that the H-1B visa should be used to “supplement, not supplant” American workers and businesses, echoing long-held concerns by conservative lawmakers.
In addition to the H-1B changes, Edlow outlined plans to reform the U.S. citizenship test.
Currently, applicants must prepare 100 civics questions and answer six correctly out of 10.
Edlow is pushing for a return to a stricter version used during the Trump administration, which increased the number of questions and required applicants to answer 12 out of 20 correctly to pass.
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The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations, jobs requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
It also includes fashion models of distinguished merit and ability. The visa, which is capped at 85,000 annual slots and distributed through a lottery, helps companies fill talent gaps in fields like healthcare and tech.
Still, critics argue the system is misused to replace American employees with lower-paid foreign labor.
For many professionals from Africa, the H-1B visa is a crucial route into the U.S. workforce, opening doors in sectors such as engineering, IT, healthcare, and academia.
Beyond personal career growth, it enables skill transfer and financial support to families and economies across the continent.
The proposed reforms are emerging under mounting political scrutiny of U.S. immigration policy.
Vice President JD Vance has openly criticized businesses for laying off American staff while hiring lower-cost foreign workers through the H-1B system.
Despite opposition, some of former President Trump’s allies in the tech industry continue to support the program, citing an ongoing shortage of qualified U.S. talent.
While these changes are not yet in effect, they signal a tougher stance on immigration.
Any official modifications to visa programs or naturalization procedures must first go through the federal rule-making process before they can be implemented.
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Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
