Joseph Edlow, the newly appointed director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has signalled a major restructuring of the H-1B system and changes to the U.S. citizenship test, moves that many analysts believe will disproportionately affect immigrants from developing regions, including Africa.
In remarks made shortly after assuming office, Edlow revealed that the current structure of the H-1B system no longer serves the needs of the American labor market and requires urgent restructuring.
Edlow told The New York Times that the current U.S. citizenship test is too easy and in need of reform. “The test as it’s laid out right now isn’t very difficult,” he said. “It’s easy to simply memorize the answers, and I don’t think that truly reflects the spirit of the law.”
He added that the H-1B visa should be used to “supplement, not supplant” American workers and businesses, a sentiment consistent with calls from conservative lawmakers.
In addition to H-1B changes, Edlow announced plans to revise the U.S. naturalization test, a mandatory assessment for immigrants seeking citizenship.
The current test requires applicants to study 100 civics questions and answer six correctly out of 10. Edlow indicated a return to a stricter version used during the Trump era, which expanded the question pool and raised the passing requirement to 12 out of 20.
How the H-1B program supports African professionals
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign nationals for roles in specialty occupations—positions that require specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
It also covers fashion models of distinguished merit and ability. Designed to fill gaps in the American labor market, the program helps companies access talent they cannot find domestically.
The visa programme, which issues 85,000 slots annually through a lottery system, has long served sectors such as technology and healthcare. However, critics argue the system has been abused to replace U.S. workers with lower-cost foreign labor.
For many African professionals, the H-1B program serves as a critical entry point into the U.S. workforce, offering opportunities in fields like engineering, healthcare, information technology, and academia. It not only opens doors to global career advancement but also contributes to the transfer of skills and remittances that benefit families and economies back home.
The proposed reforms come amid growing political pressure on immigration practices. Vice President JD Vance recently criticized corporations for laying off American workers and hiring cheaper foreign labor through the H-1B channel.
These proposed reforms, however, will not take immediate effect. Any changes to visa policy or naturalization procedures must first undergo the federal rule-making process before implementation.
