President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to tighten the rules for technology companies seeking to bring highly skilled foreign workers to the United States.
“The buy-and-hire-American order I’m about to sign will protect workers and students like you,” Trump told cheering workers at the headquarters of Snap-On Tools in Kenosha, Wis.
“It’s America first, you better believe it. It’s time. It’s time, right?”
The order targets the H-1B visa program, which Trump promised to overhaul during the presidential campaign.
Team Trump said the program undercuts American workers by bringing in large numbers of cheaper foreign workers, which drives down US wages.
Trump’s order instructs US agencies to recommend changes so that H-1B visas are granted only to the “most-skilled or highest-paid applicants” instead of given out by lottery, as they are now.
At present, the program allows 85,000 foreign workers into the US each year, many in high-tech fields.
Trump said his order sends a “powerful signal to the world” that the United States would defend its workers, protect their jobs and put America first.
Snap-On CEO Nicholas Pinchuk said Trump’s visit put the spotlight on the need to nurture US manufacturing.
But he also called for more training of American workers.
“We are today in a global competition for jobs. And, the best way to make America successful in this environment is to arm our people with the technical capabilities that enable them to win that global contest for prosperity,” Pinchuk said in a statement on the company’s Web site.
It was the first-ever presidential visit to the company, and its employees could hardly get over it.
“I never thought a day like this would ever come in my life. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I’m still kinda, don’t know what to say about it because I’m so excited,” Carrie Hollis told the local ABC News outlet.
“I’m shaking right now. It was absolutely amazing, it was pretty good,” said Andrew Reynolds.
During his remarks, the president basked in the memory of his election victory.
“The optimism in this room is the same spirit that is sweeping across our country and even greater than that great day in November when I won the state of Wisconsin and when we won the presidency. That was a great day,” he said.
With Post wires