Good news could be on the way for foreign workers looking for jobs in the United States.
A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress could allow US states to directly sponsor foreign workers based on their own labour requirements.
At present, foreign workers generally need sponsorship from a US employer to obtain the required work visa.
The proposed State-Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2026 could change this system by giving participating states a greater role in selecting and sponsoring foreign workers and investors.
Why Is the US Considering This New Visa Program?
Many US states are struggling to find enough workers in important sectors.
The shortage is being reported across industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, hospitality and healthcare.
Under the proposed pilot programme, states would be able to create visa programmes based on the workers they actually need.
However, the federal government would still remain in charge of important immigration matters, including security checks, visa issuance and immigration enforcement.
How Will the State-Sponsored Visa Program Work?
States would not automatically receive sponsorship powers.
Each state would have to decide whether it wants to participate in the programme.
Participating states would then need approval from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before creating their own visa programmes.
States would be responsible for selecting the workers and investors they want to sponsor and monitoring the conditions attached to the programme.
They would also have to determine how many foreign workers are required and what the appropriate prevailing wage should be for different jobs.
At the same time, states would have to make sure that foreign workers do not unfairly take jobs away from American workers.
Federal Government Will Still Control Security Checks
Although states could get more power to sponsor workers, the federal government would continue to have the final say on several critical immigration matters.
This includes background checks, national security screening, visa issuance and immigration decisions.
Every applicant would have to clear the required security and background checks before receiving a visa.
States would also be expected to investigate complaints involving sponsored workers and monitor where these workers live and work.
They would have to submit reports to the federal government showing whether the programme was being operated according to the rules.
What Do the Lawmakers Say?
Arizona Congressman Mark Kelly, one of the bill’s sponsors, said states understand their local economic conditions better and should have more flexibility to address worker shortages.
According to Kelly, the proposal could allow states such as Arizona to choose the types of visas they need while supporting local economies.
Utah Congressman John Curtis, the other sponsor, said businesses, farmers and ranchers in Utah have repeatedly reported difficulties in finding enough workers.
He said the proposed pilot programme could help states address their specific labour shortages while keeping federal security checks and accountability in place.
What Could This Mean for Foreign Job Seekers?
If the bill becomes law and the pilot programme is implemented, foreign workers could get another potential route to work in the US.
Instead of relying only on traditional employer sponsorship, eligible workers could potentially be sponsored through a participating state’s programme.
However, the proposal is currently a bill, so it does not yet create a new visa category or guarantee jobs or visas.
More details will depend on how the legislation progresses and what rules are eventually approved.
