Executive Challenged Corporate Use of H-1B Visas
SkillStorm chairman Hany Girgis criticized the strategic reliance on foreign visa programs for domestic roles.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Remote Work
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SkillStorm co-owner Hany Girgis has challenged the corporate reliance on H-1B and OPT programs for workforce management. His critique follows reports that a single domestic tech team consisted of 67 foreign visa holders and only three American workers.
Why it matters
Girgis argues that these visa systems have evolved from tools to address talent shortages into broader corporate strategies that potentially displace domestic professionals in routine roles. This shift highlights growing tension over how companies balance offshore outsourcing and temporary work programs.
An industry report revealed that a tech firm team comprised 67 visa holders and 3 American employees, with the same firm maintaining an additional 50 offshore workers in India.
The players
Hany Girgis
He serves as the co-owner and chairman of SkillStorm, an organization that provides IT talent to both private and government sector clients.
Donald Trump
He is the current President of the United States and has directed his administration to heighten the scrutiny applied to companies that employ H-1B visa holders.
The details
Companies utilize H-1B visas and Optional Practical Training (OPT) programs alongside offshore outsourcing to manage labor costs and scale operations. Girgis contends that these mechanisms are now central components of workforce management strategies rather than solutions for specific talent gaps.
Timeline
September 15, 2026: The Visawise app story was published.
September 20, 2026: President Donald Trump ordered increased scrutiny of H-1B employers.
September 22, 2026: This article was published.
Market Landscape
The debate over H-1B visa utilization mirrors the broader tension between domestic labor protections and the industry-wide push for globalized, low-cost workforce scaling. This scrutiny reflects a significant shift in how tech firms position their operational models against an increasingly restrictive regulatory environment.
The increased scrutiny of visa programs may lead to operational changes for tech companies, potentially impacting how businesses recruit and maintain their staff levels. For the average job seeker, these policy shifts could result in changes to hiring pipelines and the availability of certain technical roles.
The takeaway
The corporate shift toward heavy reliance on guest worker programs suggests that companies are prioritizing cost-effective labor rotation models over traditional domestic hiring. Industry professionals should monitor upcoming policy changes that may mandate stricter reporting and limitations on visa-based staffing ratios.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving policies affecting the labor market, visit the Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The American Bazaar.
Live Poll
Should federal policy limit the number of H-1B and OPT workers hired by domestic companies?
