The first overhaul in 15 years of a list of occupations requiring exchange visitor visa holders to return home after training in the US is one step from public release.
A public notice by the State Department of the revised Exchange Visitor Skills List cleared review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Wednesday.
The update was one of several regulatory measures directed by an executive order last year on the development of artificial intelligence and other emerging technology fields, although the agency hasn’t shared what specific considerations would factor into its review.
Roughly a quarter million exchange visitors come to the US annually on J-1 visas. Many of those visa holders are required to fulfill a two-year home residency after completing their program before they can apply for another visa status.
That includes tens of thousands of researchers each year whose fields are designated on the skills list as essential to the development of their countries of origin. Science advocates say that mandate costs the US critical talent.
The update will be issued as a final rule without a public comment period because it involves foreign affairs.
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