108-447 , the Consolidated Appropriations Actfor FY2005, included a provision that renders ineligible for L visa status those aliens who serve ina capacity involving specialized knowledge at the worksite of an employer other than the petitioningemployer or its affiliate if (1) the alien will be controlled principally by the unaffiliated employer;or (2) the placement with the unaffiliated employer is part of an arrangement merely to provide laborrather than to use the alien's specialized knowledge. It also added a provision that requires theSecretary of Homeland Security to impose a fraud prevention and detection fee of $500 on H-1B(foreign temporary professional workers) and L (intracompany business personnel) petitioners. (6) 

		Trends

The number of L visas issued has increased by 363.5% over the past 25 years. The U.S.Department of State (DOS) issued only 26,535 L visas in FY1980. L visa issuances began increasingin the mid-1990s and peaked at 122,981 in FY2005, as Figure 1 depicts. Supporters of current law argue that it is essential for multinational firms to be able to assigntop personnel to facilities in the United States on an "as needed basis" and that it iscounterproductive to have government bureaucrats delay these transfers to perform labor markettests. They warn these multinational firms will find it too burdensome and unprofitable to dobusiness in the United States. Some point out that U.S. corporations who do business abroad mightwell lose the reciprocal benefit of transferring top U.S. personnel overseas if restrictions are addedto the L visa. 2738 and H.R. The visa permits petitioners to transfer themselves to the UnitedStates. Representative Rosa DeLauro introduced the L-1 Nonimmigrant Reform Act( H.R. 2849 wouldhave reduced by two years the total time an L visa holder could remain in the United States. 4166 were incorporated into Title IV of P.L. (32) 

		Activity in the 109th Congress

L Visa Reform. The Comprehensive ImmigrationReform Act ( S. 2611 / S. 2612 ) includes a substantial revision of the lawon L visas. 2612 would add certainrequirements for L visa applicants seeking to come to the United States to work in new or unopenedfacilities and would expand the staffing resources of DHS, DOS, and DOL to investigate abuses andenforce violations of the L visa. L Visa Fees. 3648 , which wouldimpose additional fees with respect to immigration services for L visa intracompany transferees. 3648 would require the Secretaries of State and Homeland Securityto each charge additional fees of $1,500 to employers filing for visa applications and nonimmigrantpetitions for L visas. The House Committee on the Judiciary ordered H.R. These provisions were included in Title V of H.R. On November 18, 2005, the Senate passed S. 1932 , the Deficit Reduction OmnibusReconciliation Act of 2005, with these provisions as Title VIII. The conference report ( H.Rept.
Concerns are growing that the visa category that allows executives and managers ofmultinational corporations to work temporarily in the United States is being misused. This visacategory, commonly referred to as the L visa, permits multinational firms to transfer top-levelpersonnel to their locations in the United States for five to seven years. The number of L visasissued has increased by 363.5% over the past 25 years. The U.S. Department of State (DOS) issuedonly 26,535 L visas in FY1980. L visa issuances began increasing in the mid-1990s and peaked at122,981 in FY2005.
Some are now charging that firms are using the L visa to transfer "rank and file" professionalemployees rather than limiting these transfers to top-level personnel, thus circumventing immigrationlaws aimed at protecting U.S. employees from the potential adverse employment effects associatedwith an increase in the number of foreign workers. Proponents of current law maintain that anyrestrictions on L visas would prompt many multinational firms to leave the United States, as wellas undermine reciprocal agreements that currently permit U.S. corporations to transfer theiremployees abroad.
Title IV of P.L. 108-447 , the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2005, renders ineligiblefor L visa status those aliens who serve in a capacity involving specialized knowledge at the worksiteof an employer other than the petitioning employer or its affiliate if (1) the alien will be controlledprincipally by the unaffiliated employer; or (2) the placement with the unaffiliated employer is partof an arrangement merely to provide labor rather than to use the alien's specialized knowledge. Italso requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to impose a fraud prevention and detection fee of$500 on H-1B (foreign temporary professional workers) and L (intracompany business personnel)petitioners.
In the 109th Congress, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act ( S. 2611 / S. 2612 ) would add certain requirements for L visa applicants seeking to cometo the United States to work in new or unopened facilities and would expand the staffing resourcesof DHS, DOS, and DOL to investigate abuses and enforce violations of the L visa. Other bills thatwould reform the L visa include H.R. 3322 and H.R. 3381 .
Earlier, the House Committee on the Judiciary reported H.R. 3648 , which wouldimpose additional fees with respect to immigration services for L visa intracompany transferees. Thebill would require the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security to each charge fees of $1,500 toemployers filing certain visa applications and nonimmigrant petitions for L visas. These provisionswere included in Title V of H.R. 4241 , the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which theHouse passed on November 18, 2005. The Senate version ( S. 1932 ) would raise theminimum fee for L-1 visas by $750. The conference report on S. 1932 did not includethese L visa provisions. This report tracks legislative activity and will be updated as action warrants.