san francisco main u.s. visa program technology workers could face renew scrutiny president-elect donald trump propose attorney general senator jeff sessions long-time critic skilled-worker program h-1b visa admit 65,000 workers another 20,000 graduate student workers year tech industry lobby expand program may fight rear-guard action protect immigration attorneys lobbyists say trump send mix signal campaign trail sometimes criticize visa time call important way retain foreign talent sessions however long seek curtail program introduce legislation last year aim make visa less available large outsource company infosys firm far large users h-1b visa provide foreign contractors u.s. company look slash information technology cost thousands u.s. workers replace foreign labor sessions say february hear spokesperson sessions immediately respond request comment trump transition team spokesperson decline comment h-1b visa intend specialty occupations typically require college education company use two main ways hire technology workers tech firm microsoft google typically hire highly skilled well-paid foreign workers short supply help many secure so-called green card allow work u.s. permanently contrast firm infosys tata consultancy service base india use visa deploy lower-paid contractors critics say rarely end green card infosys immediately respond request comment tata spokesman decline comment h-1b visa assign lottery year u.s. citizenship immigration service year company file 236,000 petition 85,000 available visa cap set u.s. law award employers employees tie specific position democratic republican critics argue company walt disney co southern california edison co sce_pe.a utility use program terminate in-house employees replace cheap contractors sessions last year urge then-attorney general eric holder investigate southern california edison use h-1b visa letter also sign democratic sens bernie sanders richard durbin sherrod brown disney edison immediately respond request comment say previously pay foreign contractors comparably local staffers justice department 2013 settle visa fraud case infosys 34 million federal investigators accuse infosys use easier-to-obtain business travel visa import foreign workers require h-1b visa investigators also allege infosys tell foreign workers lie u.s. officials cities would work settlement infosys deny allegations agree retain third-party auditor two years provide government detail descriptions visa holders suppose u.s. several constituencies call program reform include institute electrical electronics engineer industry large professional association want lottery ditch favor system would award visa company offer highest-paying job say russ harrison director government relations could potentially shut employers look mine program cheap foreign labor sessions include similar measure 2015 bill tech industry group also want change fwd.us immigration lobby group back facebook co-founder mark zuckerberg support set high minimum wag give priority company sponsor h-1b workers green card go advocate expand program also go advocate reform program fwd.us president todd shulte say interview current program mainly benefit big company expense u.s. immigrant workers say gaurav mehta 32-year-old h-1b holder new delhi work cyber security firm san francisco h-1b workers struggle switch job without risk deportation say allow employers pay less current system work americans work immigrants say trump ally expect keep program mostly intact include shalabh shalli kumar indian-born chicago businessman donate 900,000 campaign say us amaze people would crazy let go kumar say interview kumar urge trump eliminate country-by-country quotas create long wait indian chinese nationals get green card john miano attorney immigration reform law institute conservative group align trump also support prioritize h-1b applications company offer high pay change would hit outsource firm hard top 10 recipients h-1b visa 2015 outsource firm accord government data compile ieee tata consultancy service top list secure 8,333 h-1b visa amazon contrast rank number 12 award 826 h-1b visa google microsoft rank 14 15 facebook 24 apple 34. h-1b visa holders wait sofie graham marketer san francisco startup buildzoom.com dual irish british citizen secure h-1b visa last year although could work six years visa company decide apply green card everywhere look people say few h-1bs say want get green card soon possible version story refiled clarify institute electrical electronics engineer represent engineer engineer company tech worker visa face uncertain future trump sessions