US Lawmakers Propose H-1B Salary Threshold Hike To $140,000

Republican lawmakers introduced the Protecting American Workers Through H-1B Modernization Act to raise the H-1B visa salary exemption threshold from $60,000 to approximately $140,000.

The proposed legislation would replace the static $60,000 limit, unchanged since 1998, with a dynamic threshold calculated at twice the Social Security Administration's National Average Wage Index.

The bill requires approval from both the House and Senate followed by a presidential signature before enactment, potentially increasing compliance obligations for H-1B-dependent employers hiring international workers.