Who is covered under the new ban?
The new ban covers a number of “nonimmigrant” visa categories, including:
- H-1B (highly skilled workers in a “specialty occupation,” typically computer and tech-related roles)
- H-2B (seasonal shortage workers, many work in landscaping and hospitality)
- L-1 (intracompany transfers, where a manager or executive transfers from a foreign office to work temporarily in the U.S.)
- J-1 (a cultural exchange visa, the ban applies here to those used for intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, or summer work travel programs)
Family members of individuals on the above visas are also barred from entering.
For now, the ban is limited to individuals who are outside the U.S. and do not currently have a valid visa; it does not affect anyone who is in the U.S. now or already has a valid visa. The order also includes a number of exemptions, including for children and siblings of U.S. citizens, workers involved in the food supply chain, and anyone who qualifies under a “national interest” definition.1
The Migration Policy Institute estimates the bans could collectively bar up to 325,000 individuals from entering the country by the end of the year, including approximately 167,000 temporary workers and their families, and about 158,000 prospective immigrants who have qualified for green cards but are barred under the previous order.