Trump adds $100,000 fee for skilled worker visa applicants

September 20, 2025

President Trump has signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications for skilled foreign workers, effective September 21, 2023. The order, which claims to address "abuse" of the program, will apply to new applications and require companies to pay this amount for each applicant for six years. In a separate action, Trump created a "gold card" visa system that would expedite immigration for those paying fees starting at £1 million.

Who is affected

Companies that sponsor H-1B visa applicants, particularly tech giants like Amazon, Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google
Foreign skilled workers seeking H-1B visas, especially from India (71% of approved applications last year) and China (11.7%)
Small businesses and startups that utilize H-1B talent but may be unable to afford the new fees
American tech industry and its global competitiveness
Current H-1B visa holders who may face difficulties when renewing or traveling

What action is being taken

The US government is implementing a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications
Amazon is advising employees with H-1B visas already in the US to remain there and those abroad to return before the executive order takes effect
India's leading trade body Nasscom is expressing concern about the new policy and its abrupt implementation
Companies are evaluating whether to pay the substantial new fees or potentially relocate operations outside the US

Why it matters

The significant fee increase could dramatically reduce access to foreign skilled workers for many US companies
Small and medium-sized businesses may be priced out of the H-1B program entirely
The policy could impact US competitiveness in the tech sector and other industries
The change represents a shift in US immigration policy that could affect both businesses' ability to recruit talent and foreign workers' access to US employment
The policy creates uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students worldwide who depend on the H-1B program

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC