H-1B fee of $100,000 is not a one time fee. It is $100,000 per year, every year. H-1B is dead. They might as well end it formally. pic.twitter.com/MOR9Yov0UV
— Ram (@ramprasad_c) September 19, 2025
Trump plans to introduce a $100,000 H-1B visa fee, sparking fears of major disruption to the U.S. tech industry and drawing strong reactions from supporters and critics alike.
The days of employers abusing H-1B Visas are over.
— U.S. Department of Labor (@USDOL) September 19, 2025
Introducing PROJECT FIREWALL—our plan to ensure high-skilled jobs go to AMERICANS FIRST 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/XPwBJSZfto
U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to impose a $100,000 application fee on H-1B worker visas, a move that could disrupt the technology sector’s reliance on foreign skilled labor, a White House official said Friday.
As part of his broader immigration crackdown, Trump is expected to sign a proclamation requiring the hefty fee for H-1B entry, though details of who must pay and how the system will be implemented remain unclear.
The H-1B program, central to Silicon Valley’s workforce, has sparked fierce debate. Supporters such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk argue it fills critical talent gaps and keeps U.S. firms competitive. Critics, however, contend it enables wage suppression and sidelines American workers.
Tech giants are among the biggest beneficiaries. In the first half of 2025, Amazon secured over 10,000 H-1B visas, while Microsoft and Meta each had more than 5,000 approved, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Roughly two-thirds of H-1B jobs are computer-related, though employers also hire engineers, educators, and healthcare workers.
News of the proposed fee rattled markets, with Cognizant Technology Solutions, Infosys, and Wipro all falling more than 2%. The companies and India’s embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.
Currently, applicants pay $215 to enter a lottery and thousands more in subsequent processing fees. India accounted for 71% of approved H-1B beneficiaries last year, followed by China at 11.7%.
THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON REUTERS