Bill > SJR28

This concurrent resolution recognizes and supports the crucial role of workers in Alaska who come through the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (for cultural exchange and training), the H-1B Program (for specialized jobs requiring at least a bachelor's degree), and the H-2B Program (for temporary, non-seasonal, non-agricultural work). The resolution highlights that these programs are vital for Alaska's economic security and the continuity of essential services, especially given the state's significant seasonal employment needs in industries like tourism and seafood processing, as well as its healthcare sector which faces worker shortages. It encourages employers to continue using these federal programs after exhausting domestic recruitment efforts and urges Alaska's congressional delegation and federal policymakers to preserve and improve these visa pathways, addressing issues like processing times and administrative disruptions, particularly in light of a recent proclamation that imposed a $100,000 per-worker payment requirement on certain H-1B petitions, which the resolution states would effectively prevent many Alaskan employers from hiring these workers.

Business and Industry

Education (Senate)

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SJR28