The annual intake of H-1B visas could be doubled under legislation introduced by Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian-American Democratic lawmaker. The HIRE Act aims to increase further investment in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through schools, while simultaneously reducing the skills gap through high-skilled immigration. Krishnamoorthi cites a lack of skilled workers available to American companies as a primary reason for proposing the bill. The temporary visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign workers to fill positions in fields including engineering, mathematics, medical and education sectors.