India, Oct. 18 -- Republican lawmakers in the United States have introduced legislation that could raise a key salary threshold in the H-1B visa program from $60,000 to nearly $140,000 a year, potentially tightening hiring requirements for companies that rely heavily on foreign professionals.

The Protecting American Workers Through H-1B Modernization Act, introduced by Representative Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin and Senator Jon Husted of Ohio, would change the salary threshold used to exempt certain H-1B workers at visa-dependent employers from additional safeguards intended to protect American workers.

The proposal is outlined in the lawmakers' official announcements from Grothman's office and Husted's office.

The proposed $140,000 fig...