US Bars 4 Companies From Sponsoring H-1B Work Visas for Nigerians, Other Foreign Workers
- The US Department of Labour added four companies to its federal debarment list for willfully violating H-1B visa programme rules
- The ban prevents GowraTech, Renotek Group, Seeloz, and Sherwood Academy from filing Labour Condition Applications for foreign workers
- H-1B workers currently employed by any of the four companies may need to find new sponsorship to keep their legal status in the US
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
The United States Department of Labour (DOL) has barred four employers from participating in the H-1B visa programme after finding them to be willful violators of federal labour regulations, a move that directly affects Nigerian and other foreign professionals seeking work in the US.
The DOL's Wage and Hour Division took the action by placing the companies on its federal debarment list, stripping them of the ability to file Labour Condition Applications (LCAs).
Source: Getty Images
An LCA is a compulsory step for any employer looking to hire foreign professionals under the H-1B programme, meaning the ban effectively freezes their ability to bring in or retain foreign workers.
Four companies placed on debarment list
The Department of Labour's updated registry names the following companies and the periods during which they are banned:
1. GowraTech, LLC: May 12, 2025, to May 11, 2027 2. Renotek Group LLC: August 8, 2025, to August 7, 2027 3. Seeloz, Inc.: March 4, 2026, to March 3, 2028 4. Sherwood at Mount Dora, Inc. (trading as Sherwood Academy): May 26, 2026, to May 25, 2028
The Office of Foreign Labour Certification will reject any H-1B-related applications submitted by these employers for the entire duration of their respective bans.
The DOL said a company is classified as a willful violator only after legal proceedings confirm that it knowingly violated labour laws or made false representations in LCA filings.
Typical breaches include failing to pay the required prevailing wage, leaving H-1B employees without pay during gaps between job assignments, a practice commonly called "benching," and submitting duplicate or fraudulent petitions to improve the odds of selection in the annual H-1B lottery.
What the ban means for foreign workers
The debarment does not cancel H-1B visas that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has already approved.
However, the four companies cannot file new H-1B petitions, seek visa extensions, or process transfers for any foreign worker while the ban is in place.
Immigration experts have advised foreign professionals to check the Department of Labour's public debarment list before accepting a job offer or applying for an H-1B transfer.
Source: Twitter
Workers currently sponsored by any of the four companies may need to secure a new employer willing to take over their sponsorship to maintain their legal immigration status in the United States.
The development is especially relevant to Indian professionals, who make up the largest share of H-1B visa holders in the US, but it also concerns Nigerians and other nationals who rely on the programme to live and work in the country.
Trump orders investigation into H-1B visas
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Trump administration has escalated its crackdown on employment-based immigration, launching its first major investigation into widespread fraud, labour violations, and the displacement of American workers within the H-1B and PERM visa programs.
The sweeping operation marks a major step forward in the federal government’s expanding anti-fraud campaign.
U.S. Department of Labour Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito announced that federal investigators have already begun issuing dozens of subpoenas to entities suspected of abusing the high-skilled visa pipelines, Fox reported.
Source: Legit.ng
