(FORTUNE Magazine) – The House Judiciary Committee recently approved an immigration reform bill that would make it easier for U.S. businesses to hire foreign workers. For labor-short employers, that would be welcome news. Of 500,000 visas issued each year, only 54,000 are available for foreigners with needed job skills. The rest go to immigrants with relatives already in the U.S. The House bill would triple the number of job-related visas. It would also require large companies to pay $1,000 for each foreign worker hired. The money would go toward job training and education for American workers. Lawmakers expect a showdown with the Bush Administration, which prefers a bill passed by the Senate last year that would give priority to those who arrive with graduate degrees and work experience. The Senate bill also has a provision for the most affluent immigrants: It would provide 6,800 visas each year for foreigners who are willing to invest $1 million or more in a U.S. business that employs at least ten people. M.A.