As many as 180,000 H1B visas could be issued to qualified overseas workers in 2009 if lobbying technocrats get their way.

Queues are forming to secure lucrative work in the USA and H1B visas are reserved for the very brightest and best foreign applicants.

Yesterday it was reported that fewer than 2,000 slots remain for ‘aliens’ with a masters degree earned at an American institution.

Earlier this month, 65,000 visas were made available to foreign professionals. Within 24 hours, more than 133,000 people had applied.

A proposed new bill in the House of Representatives, entitled Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership and introduced by Republican congressman John Shadegg, could help raise the upper limit to 115,000 in 2008 and as high as 180,000 the following year.

Other measures in the prospective bill include increased quotas for highly-educated candidates from foreign universities seeking work in the USA.