# 119-s-5097: End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026

119-s-5097, End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT] (R-MT); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-07).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5097
- As of: 2026-10-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5097
- Congress: 119
- Title: End H–1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-23
- Sponsor: Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT] (R-MT)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-07

## Summary

**This bill would impose a three-year moratorium on new H-1B visas** and overhaul who may work and stay in the United States. It would sharply tighten hiring rules and limit pathways from temporary work to permanent residence. - Employers would have to pay at least $200,000 to sponsored H-1B hires and make attestations about local U.S. worker availability, wages, and recent layoffs. - The bill would pause most H-1B issuance for three years and cap annual H-1B visas at 25,000, replacing the lottery with wage-based prioritization and short registration windows. - Spouses and minor children would lose H-1B dependent status, Optional Practical Training for students would be ended, changes of status and most adjustments to permanent residence would be blocked, and federal agencies could not file for or employ these nonimmigrants.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Sen. Moreno, Bernie [R-OH] (R-OH), 2026-07-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] (R-UT), 2026-07-29T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- H‑1B spouses and children barred: cost, high. If enacted, spouses and minor children could no longer come to the U.S. as H dependents of H‑1B workers. H classification under that provision would cover only the primary worker, not accompanying family members.
- Student work authorization ends: cost, high. If enacted, F and M students would no longer be eligible for employment authorization in the United States. J nonimmigrants admitted for education or training would also not be eligible for work permission. This would effectively end Optional Practical Training and other student work authorizations.
- Tighter rules for changing status: cost, high. If enacted, the Secretary of Homeland Security would not be able to approve changes from one nonimmigrant classification to another for people inside the U.S. Most nonimmigrants and parolees would be ineligible to adjust to permanent resident status while in the United States, with narrow exception…
- Higher H‑1B wages, cap, fees: cost, high. If enacted, employers would have to offer at least $200,000 per year for each H‑1B they sponsor. The bill would add a $100,000 fee for each H‑1B petition filed. It would cap H‑1B visas at 25,000 per fiscal year and cut maximum H‑1B stay to 3 years. The bill would bar issuing new H‑1B visas for thre…
- New employer limits on H‑1B hiring: cost, medium. If enacted, staffing and third‑party agencies could not sponsor or place H‑1B workers for other employers. H‑1B workers could not have more than one employer at a time, unless a petition is filed as a change of employer. The bill would set new H‑1B‑dependent employer thresholds by employer size and…

## Related bills

- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-1462: Fix Our Forests Act
- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-3752: SAVE America Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5097 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5097)

## Related
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-1462: Fix Our Forests Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1462)
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3597)
- [119-s-3752: SAVE America Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3752)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5097 (as of 2026-10-07).