Florida universities could be barred from hiring new faculty or staff on H-1B visas until early 2027 under a proposed rule backed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The policy is set to be introduced on January 29 by the State University System Board of Governors, according to Politico. If approved, it would pause all new H-1B hires through January 5, 2027, affecting more than 600 current visa holders at Florida public universities.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has emerged as a loud critic of the H-1B visa programme, often calling it a “total scam.” He argues that companies and institutions misuse the system to hire cheaper foreign workers instead of American graduates. That criticism turned into action in October 2025, when DeSantis ordered a ban on new H-1B hires across Florida’s public universities. The move followed a state audit that found H-1B workers in roles such as data analysts and even an assistant swim coach could easily be filled by domestic workers.
Florida may block H-1B hiring at universities until 2027
According to Politico, next Thursday, the board’s Nomination and Governance Committee will consider adding a line to the personnel policy stating that universities cannot “utilise the H-1B program in its personnel program to hire any new employees through January 5, 2027.” If both the committee and the full Board of Governors approve the addition, a 14-day public comment period will follow.
The proposal, first reported by Politico, comes after Governor DeSantis in October ordered Florida’s public universities to “pull the plug on the use of these H-1B visas.” DeSantis has voiced concern about professors coming from countries like China. He said, “We need to make sure our citizens here in Florida are first in line for job opportunities.”
Fourteen of the Board of Governors’ 17 members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate.
How many workers could be affected?
Last fiscal year, federal records show that H-1B visas were approved for hundreds of workers at Florida universities:
University of Florida: 253
University of Miami: 146
Florida State University: ~110
University of South Florida: ~110
University of Central Florida: 47
According to Florida Phoenix, as of June 30, 2025, there were more than 1,900 Florida employers sponsoring over 7,200 H-1B visa holders.
Smaller numbers of H-1B visa holders worked at other public institutions. Universities say they use the program to hire faculty, doctors, and researchers, especially in areas such as health care, engineering, and science, where there is high demand.
DeSantis has been a vocal critic of the H-1B program, calling it indentured servitude and cheap labour. “We can do it with our residents in Florida or with Americans, and if we can’t do it, then man, we need to really look deeply about what is going on with this situation,” he said, during a press conference in Tampa. The announcement comes after the Trump administration imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications to curb the influx of foreign workers in the US under his ‘America First’ approach.
After the press conference, DeSantis announced the decision on Twitter: “Universities across the country are importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans who are qualified and available to do the job. We will not tolerate H-1B abuse in Florida institutions. That’s why I have directed the Florida Board of Governors to end this practice.”
He also emphasised the role of Florida’s graduates: “Florida leads the nation in higher education, and thousands of highly qualified Americans graduate from our colleges and universities every year. If any universities are truly struggling to find US citizens to fill their job openings, they ought to evaluate their academic programs to determine why they cannot produce graduates who can be hired for these positions.”