HR 5098119th CongressIn Committee

Strengthening Our Workforce Act of 2025

Introduced: Sep 2, 2025

Labor & Employment

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

Strengthening Our Workforce Act of 2025 would create a new pathway to temporary but lasting status for certain workers in the United States. The bill allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to adjust eligible aliens to a two-year, conditional lawful permanent resident status, with work authorization. To qualify, individuals must apply with required information and fees, have been continuously present in the U.S. since January 1, 2024 under specific conditions (including undocumented presence, DACA, or certain nonimmigrant statuses with employment authorization), and have worked at least 100 days in a “covered profession.” During the two-year conditional period, they must stay employed in a covered field and meet other conditions. At the end of the two years, the conditional status can be converted to permanent residence automatically (subject to objections and a background check) and is not restricted by numerical visa caps. The bill also sets out criminal and national-security bars and allows certain waivers for humanitarian, family unity, or public-interest reasons, with time-based misdemeanor waivers for some offenses. A broad list of “covered professions” includes many sectors deemed essential to the economy and public health, such as health care, education, agriculture, construction, hospitality, transportation, and more, including remote or hybrid workers and those in jobs designated essential during the COVID-19 response.

Key Points

1Conditional LPR pathway: The Secretary may adjust eligible aliens to a two-year conditional lawful permanent resident status, with concurrent employment authorization.
2Eligibility requirements: Applicants must file as directed, pay required fees, be present in the U.S. since January 1, 2024 under specified conditions (undocumented status, DACA, or certain nonimmigrant with employment authorization), maintain continuous presence, accumulate at least 100 days of employment in a covered profession, and not be disqualifyingly inadmissible (with certain humanitarian/public-interest waivers possible).
3Conditions and adjustment: During the two-year period, individuals must remain physically present and maintain at least 100 days of employment per year in a covered profession; after the period ends, the status automatically adjusts to lawful permanent residency unless the person objects in writing and passes a background check.
4No numerical caps: Those adjusted under this section are not subject to worldwide or per-country immigration caps.
5Covered professions: A broad list spans health care, emergency response, energy, education, sanitation, food service, hospitality, agriculture, construction, domestic and elder care, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, janitorial work, and other roles deemed essential (including remote/hybrid workers and those identified as essential during the COVID-19 public health emergency).

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Immigrants who are in the U.S. since January 1, 2024 and who have worked in a covered profession for at least 100 days (including individuals who are undocumented, DACA recipients, or holding qualifying nonimmigrant status with work authorization).Secondary group/area affected: Employers in sectors listed as covered professions, labor markets in essential industries, and DHS/immigration administration responsible for processing applications and conducting background checks.Additional impacts:- Criminal and national-security framework: The bill defines disqualifying offenses (with waivers possible for humanitarian, family unity, or public interest) and includes time-based misdemeanor waivers (up to one or two misdemeanors if certain time-free intervals have passed). This could affect applicants with prior convictions.- Policy and budget considerations: The program involves new application fees, background checks, and ongoing enforcement, which would require DHS resources. It also removes the typical numerical caps, potentially increasing the number of LPRs through this pathway.- Social and economic implications: By formalizing status for a broad portion of essential workers, the bill aims to stabilize labor supply in key sectors, potentially affecting wages, worker retention, and service delivery in areas like health care, education, and infrastructure.- Citizenship and immigration landscape: This creates a distinct, conditional route to permanent residency outside traditional college- or family-based pathways, with implications for future naturalization and integration into the broader immigration system.

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