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Trump administration sued over $100K fee for skilled worker visas

October 16, 2025

The US Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, claiming it would make the program cost-prohibitive for American employers. Trump implemented this fee through an executive order last month, arguing the visa program has been abused and undercuts American workers, despite tech industry leaders maintaining it attracts global talent. The Chamber argues the fee would significantly harm businesses by forcing them to either dramatically increase labor costs or hire fewer skilled employees, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defends the policy, suggesting companies must decide if foreign workers are valuable enough to justify the fee or should "hire an American" instead.

Who is affected

  • US employers who use the H-1B visa program
  • Foreign skilled workers, particularly from India and China
  • The US tech sector, including major companies and small startups
  • American businesses represented by the US Chamber of Commerce
  • American workers who compete with H-1B visa holders

What action is being taken

  • The US Chamber of Commerce is filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration
  • The Trump administration is implementing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa requests
  • The White House is defending the fee as "lawful" and a "necessary, initial, incremental step"
  • The Trump administration is also setting up a new "gold card" to fast-track visas for certain immigrants in exchange for fees starting at £1m

Why it matters

  • The fee could make H-1B visas "cost-prohibitive" for US employers
  • It could force businesses to either increase labor costs significantly or hire fewer skilled employees
  • The tech industry relies heavily on H-1B visas to attract global talent
  • Many successful tech executives began their careers in the US on H-1B visas
  • The administration believes the action discourages companies from "driving down American wages"

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC

Trump administration sued over $100K fee for skilled worker visas