Austin, Texas – In response to recent reports that President Trump and his administration are considering an executive order that would impact the H-1B visa program that Austin companies rely on to attract global talent, Senior Vice President of Federal and State Advocacy, Drew Scheberle released the following statement.

“For decades, the Austin Chamber Board of Directors has supported broadening availability of H1-B visas. The program, which supplements our workforce, is vital to the economy here in Central Texas as well as throughout the state and across the country. An increase in an H1-B cap for traditional, direct employers is welcome. We urge our elected leaders and President Trump to ensure America remains competitive and wins the race for the best talent without adding onerous restrictions that could be harmful to our economy." -Scheberle

According to the Austin Business Journal, the city of Austin had 5,600 certified H-1B visas in 2016.