U.S. President Donald Trump today announced his plans for immigration reform, which include favoring those who can speak English and "demonstrate skills that will contribute" to the economy. 

Speaking along side Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue, Trump explained the bill - called the RAISE Act - would "change the way the United States issues Green Cards".

"For decades, the United States was operated and has operated a very low-skilled immigration system, issuing record numbers of Green Cards to low-wage immigrants," he said.

"This policy has placed substantial pressure on American workers, taxpayers and community resources."

He said the RAISE Act would end "chain migration" and replace the "low-skilled system with a new points-based system."

"This competitive application process will favor applicants who can speak English, financially support themselves and their families, and demonstrate skills that will contribute to our economy," he said.

Cotton labeled the current immigration system an "obsolete disaster" and claimed only one in 15 immigrants come to the U.S. because of their job skills. 

He also said the bill would "re-orientate" the Green Card system toward people who have "high degrees of educational attainment" and who have a "typical job in their local economy."

Perdue, who is the first cousin of Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, added the RAISE Act was modeled on the current Canadian and Australian immigration systems.  

"It's pro-worker, it's pro-growth, and it's been proven to work. Both have been extremely successful in attracting highly skilled workers to those countries," he said.

In the joint statement released on the White House website, there was no specific of the agriculture industry, nor the H-2A visa program for temporary agriculture workers.

The bill is expected to face opposition in the Senate.

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