As scrutiny of the H1B visa program has continued to grow across the country, social media users noticed that a high-ranking position in Wisconsin’s government was made available to foreign workers through the program.
The finding comes as the Department of Justice announced an investigation into employers who are abusing the visa program to discriminate against Americans in favor of foreign workers.
The position posted by the Wisconsin government, which many said would be highly sought after by American applicants, is a Chief Investor and Head Economist role at the Wisconsin Investment Board. The position reportedly pays $400,000 a year.
State of Wisconsin couldn’t find an American to do this $400k/year job?#H1B pic.twitter.com/xTRSmNtMuC
— 🌏🚀 Roaring Astro (astro/acc)🛸🪐🏴☠️ (@AtlasGemini) August 28, 2025
While some X users defended the decision to make the role available to H1B applicants, government watchdogs have pointed out that the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program, which was put in place to protect American job applicants, is ripe for abuse.
A ProPublica investigation found numerous examples of companies making dead end job postings that led to virtual offices when applicants attempted to call the recruiting department or human resource, with some companies admitting that the postings were ‘PERM’ postings simply meant to check off a regulatory box. (RELATED: Trump Administration Announces Review Process of All 55 Million Foreign Visas in U.S.)
The Trump administration has set the H1B program in its crosshairs as a result of growing scrutiny, with the administration recently announcing its intent to end the H1B lottery program, which randomly selects applicants after registrations exceed the annual limit of 65,000.
Labor policy analysts have estimated that the move would result in a significant decrease in the number of people admitted under an H1B visa. (RELATED: Wisconsin Court Commissioner Resigns Over Immigration Dispute)
