Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has directed public universities across the state to stop filing new H-1B visa petitions and announced an investigation into how they are being used.
The federal program allows employers to hire foreign workers for specialized jobs that require at least a bachelor’s degree, such as professors, researchers, and doctors.
Under Abbott’s directive, public universities and state agencies can’t initiate or file new H-1B visa petitions without written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission through the end of the next legislative session on May 31, 2027.
He also ordered higher education institutions to submit detailed reports to the commission, including the number of new or renewed H-1B visa petitions filed in 2025, the number of H-1B visa holders currently sponsored, job titles, countries of origin, and visa expiration dates.
Abbott is also directing universities to provide documentation showing they made an effort to give qualified Texans a reasonable opportunity to apply for positions filled by H-1B visa holders.
He said the move is about putting Texans first, but the decision elicited criticism from academic advocates, who say it will threaten innovation, economic growth, and the student experience at Texas universities.
