# 119-hr-9234: Careworker Visa Act of 2026

119-hr-9234, Careworker Visa Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2] (D-NM); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9234
- As of: 2026-09-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9234
- Congress: 119
- Title: Careworker Visa Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-09
- Sponsor: Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2] (D-NM)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-17

## Summary

**A new W nonimmigrant careworker visa would create a dedicated pathway for certified families and small care businesses to bring temporary in‑home caregivers.** It pairs that new visa with wage protections, whistleblower rules, and a limited route to lawful permanent residence for qualifying applicants. - Families and small employers would be able to sponsor year‑round in‑home caregivers or personal support workers. Individual or family employers must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and employers must have fewer than 25 employees. - Careworkers would get employer‑specific work authorization with an initial stay of 3 years and renewals in 3‑year increments. The bill would allow adjustment to lawful permanent resident status for qualifying applicants and caps associated adjustment fees at no more than $500. - Workers gain enforceable protections: employers must pay at or above the prevailing wage, retaliation is barred and whistleblower remedies are added. The Department of Labor must certify labor market tests and run an office for wage and safety complaints, and overall visa issuance is capped at 100,000 per year.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6] (D-PA), 2026-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2026-06-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large] (D-PR), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Fast rules and petition deadlines: benefit, low. If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary, in consultation with Labor and State, to finalize implementing regulations within 90 days of enactment. The Secretary could implement parts earlier to prepare operations. The Secretary would also be required to adjudicate complete petitions within 9…
- New rules for careworker employers: cost, medium. If enacted, the bill would limit sponsoring employers to individuals/families who hire in private homes and small caregiving businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Employers would be barred if they have specified criminal convictions, trafficking findings, or recent final adjudications for seriou…
- Path to green card for careworkers: mixed, high. If enacted, the bill would let many careworkers adjust to W status or apply for lawful permanent residence if they were in the United States on January 1, 2024 and stayed continuously. Applicants must file required forms, pay any owed Federal, State, and local taxes, and may need a waiver for certa…
- New W careworker visa program: mixed, high. If enacted, the bill would create a new W nonimmigrant visa for in‑home and small‑group careworkers. Spouses and children under 21 would be eligible to come as dependents. Visas would be valid for three years and renewals would be in three‑year increments. Employment authorization would be tied to…
- Stronger wage and rights for careworkers: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would require covered employers to pay W workers at least the prevailing wage for the job in the local area. The Department of Labor would certify whether there are enough U.S. workers where the job is located before a W visa could be granted. The bill would also direct the Dep…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-5168: Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-9234 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9234)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-5168: Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5168)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9234 (as of 2026-09-17).