(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Trump administration has ordered a sweeping new vetting regime for H-1B visa applicants, directing US consular officers to scrutinise résumés and LinkedIn profiles for signs of involvement in what officials describe as“censorship” of free expression.

The policy shift, first reported by Reuters, marks one of the most significant expansions of immigration screening under the current administration, and could affect thousands of skilled workers seeking employment in the United States.

H-1B Via: What does the new directive ay on LinkedIn profile?

In an internal cable dated 2 December and circulated to all US missions globally, consular officials were instructed to analyse the online LinkedIn profiles of H-1B applicants - and even their accompanying family members - for past employment in fields linked to information control or online content governance.

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“BE ON THE LOOKOUT: APPLICANTS RESPONSIBLE FOR OR COMPLICIT IN CENSORSHIP OF AMERICANS,” the cable seen by Bloomberg read.

According to Reuters and Bloomberg, the memo orders officers to examine whether applicants have worked in areas involving“misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety, among others.”

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The cable goes further, stating:

“If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible,” citing a specific provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

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This standard, if enforced broadly, could sweep in employees from major technology firms, media organisations, AI companies, trust-and-safety teams, and academic research institutes.

Why does the new policy matter for H-1B workers and the tech industry?

H-1B visas - a critical pathway for highly skilled foreign workers - are used extensively by the technology sector, including the very social media and online platforms the White House has accused of facilitating“censorship” abroad.

According to the State Department cable, all visa applicants fall under the new rules, but H-1B candidates are considered especially likely to have worked for social media, financial services, or technology firms“involved in the suppression of protected expression.”

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The H-1B programme underpins the recruitment strategies of Silicon Valley companies, which draw heavily from India, China and other countries for specialised talent in engineering, data science, cybersecurity and biotechnology.

Consular officers are now instructed to examine résumés, LinkedIn profiles and even trade-press articles to determine whether an applicant has participated in activities linked to content moderation or censorship - including complying with demands from foreign authorities, or“adopting global content moderation policies inconsistent with freedom of expression.”

The expanded scrutiny comes shortly after US President Donald Trump threatened sweeping measures to curb immigration to the US following the fatal ambush of a National Guard member near the White House.

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Earlier this year the Trump administration has already introduced a $100,000 H-1B application fee, signalling a stronger deterrent stance.

The cable echoes an earlier directive: in June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered heightened examination of social-media profiles for foreign visitors to Harvard University, with consular officers told that even a lack of online presence could warrant visa denial.

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