Trump Administration Imposes $100,000 Fee for New H-1B Visa Applications in Major Overhaul

In a sweeping change to U.S. immigration policy, President Donald J. Trump has signed a presidential proclamation that introduces a $100,000 annual fee for new H-1B visa applications. The order, officially titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” is aimed at curbing what the administration describes as misuse of the H-1B program.

What’s in the New Policy

• Employers seeking to bring in foreign workers under the H-1B specialty occupation program must now include a $100,000 payment with new visa petitions filed for individuals outside the U.S.
• The proclamation empowers the Department of Homeland Security and State to deny entry to workers whose petitions are not accompanied by this fee.
• It also directs federal agencies (Labor, Homeland Security, State) to issue joint guidance for verification, enforcement, audits, and possible penalties for non-compliance.

You can check the policy by clicking here.

Who Is Affected — and Who is Not

• New H-1B applicants (especially those outside the U.S.) are the ones who will generally need to pay the new fee.
• Existing H-1B holders—including those renewing their visas or re-entering the U.S.—are exempt from this new fee requirement.
• Petitions for workers currently abroad will require payment for entry.

The Trump administration argues the move is necessary to protect U.S. workers from being displaced or undercut by lower-wage foreign workers, prevent abuses in the H-1B program—especially in low-wage or entry-level roles that do not require specialized skills—and ensure the system serves its original purpose of filling roles that cannot be met by qualified U.S. workers.

Also read, how Trump administration is proposing Limit Foreign Student Visa Duration