Under any proposal, Congress would need to revisit the quota for employers to sponsor lower-skilled worker for green cards, which is limited to a very low 5, 000 a year under current law.

FORBES: Taking a Good Look at the "Red Card Solution"

Johnson said workers coming in on the new lower-skilled visa program would not be tied to one employer, as short-term-worker visa holders now are, but would be able to move from one job to another.

WSJ: Business, labor still at odds on temporary workers