The US is financing its ambitious apprentice programme to close the skills gap amongst Americans from funds generated by the H-1B visa fee, according to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
The H-1B visa programme allows employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in the US on a non-immigrant basis in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability. The H-1B visas are the most sought-after by Indian IT professionals.
Ross said Wednesday that the Trump administration had launched a new "Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship System" in a major effort to spur employer-led training and was now planning to expand it.
He said the additional public funding could help establish new apprenticeship programmes in the travel and tourism industry.
According to Ross, the Department of Labor has USD 100 million in funding available for about 30 apprenticeship grants. These will go to public/private partnerships to develop new apprenticeship models and expand existing apprenticeship programmes.
In his address to the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, Ross said: "The funding source is the fees companies pay to hire foreign workers under the H-1B visa programme. These fees are then provided as grants for training American workers in the occupations for which employers are hiring H-1B workers, such as IT jobs."