U.S. Immigration Service Increases Denials For High-Skilled Immigrants

LeadershipLeadership StrategiesU.S. Immigration Service Increases Denials For High-Skilled ImmigrantsByStuart Anderson,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Stuart Anderson writes about immigration, business and globalization.Follow AuthorApr 22, 2026, 09:34am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, testifies during the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, April 16, 2026. USCIS has increased denials for employment-based immigrants and in key temporary visa categories. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has increased denials for employment-based immigrants and in key temporary visa categories. Government data show that the Trump administration’s policies have led to a spike in denials, making it less likely that many high-skilled foreign nationals will be able to work in the United States. Economists have found that high-skilled immigration is vital to the U.S. economy in technology, medicine and other sectors.The new data align with other administration policies designed to block or restrict immigration, including a $100,000 fee on the entry of new H-1B visa holders and a proposed rule that could price many H-1B professionals and employment-based immigrants out of the U.S. labor market by raising prevailing wages. Companies and H-1B employees are also experiencing long waits to renew visas at U.S. consulates because of policy changes.Immigration Data Show Denials RisingExamining the latest data from USCIS shows how the Trump administration has tightened immigration policies for even the most highly skilled individuals. “The denial rate for an alien with extraordinary ability (in the employment-based first preference, or EB-1, green card categor...