Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a proposal to prohibit public schools from hiring international teachers on H-1B visas, framing the measure as part of an effort to limit “foreign influence” in education. The Republican governor, who is seeking reelection, made the announcement at a campaign event on August 18.
According to data from the National Education Association, Texas employed 271 H-1B visa holders in education during 2025, more than any other state. Within that total, the Dallas Independent School District leads with 171 H-1B employees among roughly 10,000 total teachers. School officials across Texas have stated they recruit international educators specifically to address staffing gaps in high-demand subjects such as mathematics and foreign languages, areas where local candidates are difficult to find.
Dallas ISD responded to the proposal by noting that international hires fill positions designated as critical shortages by the Texas Education Agency and that all such teachers meet state certification requirements. The district suggested that eliminating these positions would necessitate expanding the pipeline of domestic teaching talent.
The proposal builds on restrictions Abbott implemented in January affecting state agencies and universities. He also cited existing state programs designed to support local teacher recruitment and retention, including the teacher-incentive allotment that provides bonuses to high-performing educators in high-need and rural districts. Additionally, Abbott criticized some international educational partnerships, specifically mentioning Confucius Classroom, a Mandarin-language program with Chinese government support.
H-1B visas enable specialty occupation workers to remain in the United States for up to six years with potential renewal and a pathway to permanent residency. The visa category has faced increased scrutiny under the current presidential administration, which announced plans to raise application fees significantly, though those plans were subsequently suspended by a federal judge. School districts nationwide, in both urban and rural areas across states like Alaska and North Dakota, have relied on H-1B and J-1 visas to staff classrooms with international educators.
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