Florida public universities banned from hiring H-1B faculty and staff

Florida public universities can’t hire new H-1B workers

Florida’s Board of Governors voted March 2, 2026, to pause all new H-1B visa hiring at the state’s 12 public universities. The freeze takes effect immediately and runs through at least Jan. 5, 2027.

Current H-1B employees are not affected and can keep working and renewing their visas. Florida is now the second state, after Texas, to enact this kind of restriction on public universities.

H-1B visas let employers hire foreign specialists

H-1B visas let U.S. employers bring in foreign workers for jobs that typically require at least a bachelor’s degree. Each visa is valid for up to three years and can be extended to six years total.

Universities use the program to hire faculty, researchers, and doctors.

Unlike most employers, colleges and universities are exempt from the annual cap of 85,000 new H-1B visas that limits other industries.

Florida schools employ over 1,000 H-1B workers

Florida’s public universities currently employ more than 1,000 faculty and staff on H-1B visas, according to CF Public Media.

The University of Florida led all state schools with about 253 H-1B approvals in fiscal year 2025.

Florida State University followed with around 110 workers on these visas, and the University of South Florida had about 107. The University of Central Florida employs fewer than 50.

DeSantis ordered the board to act

Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the Board of Governors in October 2025 to end what he called H-1B abuse in higher education.

He argued that universities were hiring foreign workers for jobs that qualified Americans could fill.

He pointed to specific positions, including assistant professors, coaches, data analysts, and coordinators hired from other countries.

Fourteen of the board’s 17 members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate.

Two members voted against the freeze

Faculty representative Kimberly Dunn and student representative Carson Dale were the only two votes against the freeze.

Dale, who serves as student body president at Florida State University, said the freeze could cause serious reputational damage.

Dunn, the faculty senate chair at Florida Atlantic University, said she is concerned about lasting effects on recruitment.

The two members also moved the measure off a grouped consent vote so it could be debated separately.

Doctors and surgeons could be affected too

The freeze also applies to UF Health, which regularly sponsors physicians and surgeons on H-1B visas. UF Health facilities serve more than 3 million Floridians each year across all 67 counties.

Board Chair Alan Levine asked universities to report back if the freeze starts affecting access to life-saving medical care. Levine said the board could make amendments if real problems come up.

The United Faculty of Florida said it will be hard to fill open positions in fields like engineering without the program.

Board built in an emergency exception

The board did leave a door open. Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said that if a university needs an exception, the Board of Governors can respond within 72 hours.

Levine told university presidents to bring concerns directly to the chancellor. Board leadership described the pause as a data-collection period, not a permanent ban.

During the freeze, the chancellor’s office will study how universities use the H-1B program and what it costs.

Texas froze H-1B hiring in January

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all public universities and state agencies to stop new H-1B petitions in late January 2026. That freeze runs through May 31, 2027.

Abbott required institutions to submit detailed reports on their H-1B use, including job titles, countries of origin, and visa expiration dates.

Texas A&M University had already stopped sponsoring new H-1B petitions after a federal $100,000 fee on new visa applications took effect.

Trump signed a $100,000 visa fee in 2025

President Trump signed a proclamation in September 2025 that imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions. The fee took effect Sept. 21, 2025, and applies only to new petitions for workers outside the United States.

It does not apply to renewals or workers already in the country. Employers previously paid between $2,000 and $5,000 per petition.

A federal district court upheld the fee, though legal challenges continue in other courts.

Universities say the program fills key gaps

Universities argue the H-1B program is essential to fill positions in healthcare, engineering, and other specialized fields. Dunn said institutions rely on it to recruit top talent from around the world.

Dale said the freeze excludes qualified candidates before anyone can look at their individual merit.

Higher education advocates warn that restricting H-1B hiring could weaken research and hurt the ability of American universities to compete globally.

The freeze runs about 10 months

The pause runs through at least Jan. 5, 2027, when the board will review data collected during the freeze. The annual H-1B visa lottery was expected to open around March 4, just days after the board’s vote.

Other visa programs, including J-1 and O-1, are not affected.

The Florida Legislature is also considering a separate bill, HB 1279, that would require public universities to keep at least 95% of enrollment as in-state students, though companion bills have stalled in the Senate.

Florida and Texas spark a national debate

The freezes in Florida and Texas are part of a broader national debate over the H-1B program and its role at public universities.

Supporters of the restrictions say taxpayer-funded schools should focus on hiring Americans first. Critics warn the freezes could push top talent to other states or countries, weakening U.S. research and innovation.

The outcome of federal court challenges to the $100,000 fee could reshape the program further.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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