US has suspended work visas for Nigerian and Foreign Truck Drivers over safety concerns.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that the United States government has suspended the issuance of work visas for Nigerian and other foreign truck drivers, citing threats to the safety of American citizens and job opportunities for local truckers.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who confirmed that the suspension takes effect immediately.
“Effective immediately, we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers. The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio stated.
This move is part of President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration clampdown following his return to office in January 2025.
Under the new measures, foreign nationals from countries with high visa overstay records or inadequate travel databases must now pay a bond of $5,000 to $15,000 before obtaining certain U.S. visas. The policy will operate under a 12-month pilot programme to ensure travelers exit the U.S. before their visas expire.
Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has directed applicants to disclose all social media usernames used in the past five years when completing visa forms. Failure to provide this information could result in visa rejection and future ineligibility.