With the Trump administration considering a new travel ban on specific countries due to security concerns, visa access for individuals from the included countries may be restricted. A travel ban could impact U.S. employers, making it harder for them to hire and retain overseas employees. Here’s what employers need to know so they can prepare for a more restrictive visa landscape.

In the president’s signed executive order from January 2025, he called for a review of countries with inadequate security screening. The review is scheduled to end in March and will likely place visa restrictions on several countries. This new travel ban would divide countries into three categories:

  • Red List: Complete suspension of U.S. visas. This includes nations such as Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, and Yemen.
  • Orange List: Partial suspension and mandatory in-person interviews for visas. This applies to countries like Belarus, Russia, Haiti, and Turkmenistan.
  • Yellow List: A 60-day probation period allowing for security issues to be fixed. Countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe will be reexamined after the period ends. If these issues are not fixed, then they will move to a higher restriction level.

These new visa restrictions, if implemented, will greatly impact U.S. employers. It will create workforce disruptions as corporations could be barred from providing employees from red-list countries with employment-based visas, while individuals from orange-listed countries will be delayed due to mandatory visa interviews and possible travel difficulties. As previously mentioned, employers will face more immigration audits and stricter reviews of visa applications.

Companies must act now to best prepare for a more restrictive landscape. Steps they can take include:

  • Assessing the visa status of current and incoming employees.
  • Developing alternative hiring strategies that account for the new visa restrictions.
  • Complying with immigration audits and preparing from increased enforcement measures.
  • Advise affected employees to reconsider non-essential international travel and help ensure they’re prepared for increased scrutiny upon return.
  • Follow updated from official government sources and encourage employees to do the same.
  • Work with immigration attorneys to navigate potential visa issues.

As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, it’s particularly critical.

Trump Immigration policy