In August 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced a temporary pause on the issuance of certain work visas for foreign nationals seeking employment as commercial truck drivers in the United States. As of now, that pause continues into 2026.
For employers and foreign nationals navigating the U.S. immigration system, this development raises important questions:
Who is affected? How long will it last? And are there alternative immigration strategies available?
Below is a clear, practical overview of what this means, and how long-term planning, may offer a more stable path forward.
On August 21, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department would temporarily pause the issuance of work visas for foreign nationals intending to work as commercial truck drivers in the U.S.
According to the Department of State, the pause is intended to allow for a comprehensive review of the screening and vetting system for foreign commercial drivers. The review involves coordination with the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to evaluate qualification standards, including English language proficiency requirements. There is currently no published timeline for when the pause will be lifted.
The pause applies to applicants seeking to work as commercial truck drivers under the following visa classifications:
It is important to clarify that there is no direct standalone “truck driver visa.” Most foreign commercial drivers in the U.S. have historically relied on employer-sponsored pathways such as the H-2B visa or employment-based immigrant categories like EB-3.
The pause does not affect B-1/B-2 visitor visas.
If your company was planning to sponsor foreign commercial drivers, or if you are a foreign national exploring U.S. employment as a truck driver, this pause may delay visa issuance.
However, it does not eliminate all immigration options.
In fact, for some employers, this moment highlights the importance of shifting from temporary visa strategies to long-term workforce planning.
While visa issuance for truck drivers remains paused, employers can still take proactive steps by beginning the EB-3 PERM labor certification process.
The EB-3 visa is a permanent residence (green card) pathway for:
The PERM process involves demonstrating that:
Even during a visa issuance pause, beginning the PERM process can:
In employment-based immigration, waiting for policy clarity can sometimes mean losing valuable time in the queue.
One of the most important strategic factors employers should evaluate is processing time.
The EB-3 PERM process typically includes:
In total, the early stages of an EB-3 case can take a year or more before reaching the immigrant visa or adjustment of status stage. If employers wait until the visa pause is lifted to begin planning, they may face significant additional delays. By contrast, starting the PERM process now may allow employers to:
In other words, while visa issuance may be temporarily paused, the foundational steps of a permanent immigration strategy can often continue.
If your business depends on commercial drivers, now may be the time to:
Policy reviews and pauses are part of the evolving landscape of U.S. business immigration. Strategic preparation helps employers remain adaptable. At Zhang-Louie PLLC, we closely monitor developments affecting employment-based immigration, including the EB-3 process, H-2B visas, and employer sponsorship strategies.
Our firm focuses exclusively on U.S. immigration law. We do not act as recruiters or job placement agencies. Instead, we assist employers and foreign professionals in developing compliant, long-term immigration strategies aligned with current regulations. If you are unsure how this visa pause impacts your workforce or future plans, seeking experienced immigration guidance before making filing or hiring decisions can help prevent costly delays.
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