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USA extends all 2020 suspension of work visas 1:12
(CNN) - The most recent proclamation by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, describes a series of new visa restrictions for temporary foreign workers.
His argument: The devastating economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has forced officials to do more to protect American jobs.
Business groups and immigrant rights advocates are protesting. They say these restrictions will ultimately harm the economy, and accuse the Trump administration of using the public health crisis as a pretext to enact unnecessary immigration restrictions.
Unless you are a lawyer or an immigrant with experience navigating the US system, the alphabet soup of visas featured in Monday's proclamation can be difficult to decipher.
Bottom line: A wide range of workers, from au pairs to software engineers, will be barred from going to the United States at least until January. And those restrictions could be extended.
There are a few exceptions. Among them, the proclamation says officials will develop rules to allow people who treat patients with covid-19 or who conduct research to help the United States fight the pandemic.
READ : Trump extends the limits of some work visas until 2020
It will also draft similar rules to admit people who are critical to national security, necessary to aid the country's economic recovery, or essential to the United States' food supply chain. And the new measures do not apply to people who have already obtained valid visas.
But even so, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimates that some 167,000 temporary workers will remain outside the United States as a result of these new restrictions, which take effect on Wednesday.
Here's a look at what kinds of jobs are included in Trump's proclamation and how many people could be affected in each visa category.
H-1B visa
What it is: According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), the H-1B visa category covers people who "work in a specialized occupation, participate in managed cooperative research and development projects by the United States Department of Defense, or they are nationally or internationally recognized persons ”.
What type of work do these visas cover? The H-1B is better known as a skilled tech worker visa, but workers from other industries, such as healthcare and the media, are also known to use these visas.
How many people could be affected: 29,000, according to MPI estimates, plus some 19,000 dependents with H-4 visas.
H-2B visa
What it is: According to the USCIS, the H-2B program allows US employers or agents to "bring foreign nationals to the United States to occupy temporary non-farm jobs."
What type of work do these visas cover? They generally apply to temporary workers in a wide variety of industries, according to the National Immigration Forum, which includes landscaping, forestry, hospitality, and construction.
How many people could be affected: 23,000, according to MPI.
J-1 visa
What it is: According to the State Department, the J-1 visa is an exchange visitor visa for "individuals approved to participate in work-study exchange programs."
What type of work do these visas cover? Trump's proclamation lists a number of affected workers, including interns, apprentices, teachers, camp counselors, au pairs, and participants in summer work travel programs.
How many people could be affected: 72,000, according to MPI (plus about 11,000 dependents with J-2 visas).
LOOK : US Immigration suspension of work visas extends throughout the year
L-1 visa
What it is: According to the USCIS, the L visa category covers "temporary transfers within the company who work in managerial positions or have specialized knowledge."
What type of work do these visas cover? Managers, executives and employees with specialized knowledge.
How many people could be affected: 6,000, according to MPI (plus about 7,000 dependents on L-2 visas).
CNN's Priscilla Álvarez contributed to this report.
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