New legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives with the goal of addressing the ongoing lack of workers in industries across the country. The Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, as proposed by Pennsylvania Representative Lloyd Smucker, will create a new nonimmigrant visa classification, authorizing employees to work in the U.S. for a period of at least 3 years. The visa classification, which is a part of the Immigration and National Act, will essentially establish a market-driven visa system designed to help employers find more laborers. The bill will also require the use of the E-verify system in order to make certain that only legal immigrants are hired. Smucker’s legislation will additionally mandate that such immigrant workers will be paid fair wages, using local wage data. The measure has won the support of the National Association of Home Builders, which has issued a statement contending that “such a temporary, flexible system would help address the chronic labor shortage in the residential construction industry.” An additional source of support has been announced via Chip Rogers, chief executive officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, who said, also in a press release, that the bill “would prove critical in helping hotels fill more than 100,000 jobs currently open across the nation.” The Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, otherwise known as HR 3734, is currently under review in both the House Committee on the Judiciary as well as the Committee on Ways and Means. By Garry Boulard
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