In a significant move set for January, state university officials will address Governor Ron DeSantis’ directive to phase out the use of H-1B visas, which currently permit the hiring of foreign faculty members. This announcement comes from Ray Rodrigues, the university system’s Chancellor, who shared the update on Thursday.

Rodrigues informed the Board of Governors that discussions with university presidents are already in progress. “We’ve acknowledged the directive and are committed to working with our universities and staff to respond effectively,” Rodrigues stated during a meeting at the University of South Florida.

The issue was initially highlighted by Governor DeSantis during a visit to the university on October 29. His proposal echoes a previous policy under President Donald Trump’s administration that would impose a $100,000 fee on foreign-born individuals seeking an H-1B visa. This hefty cost is anticipated to be borne by the hiring institutions.

Governor DeSantis has criticized the use of H-1B visas, suggesting that they are often utilized to hire “cheap labor” as a cost-saving measure. This perspective has spurred the current initiative to reevaluate and potentially end the visa program’s application within the state university system.

The cost is expected to be carried by the hiring institution. DeSantis has equated many H-1B employees as “cheap labor” intended to save costs.

“When you see in the news all these people being laid off by Amazon, UPS, all these companies, we need to make sure our citizens here in Florida are first in line for job opportunities,” the governor said last week. “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 added.

The Florida Board of Governors are slated to meet Jan. 28-29 at Florida State University.