US hikes H-1B, L-1 visa extension fee - How will it impact Indian professionals? Explained
A new DHS rule mandates employers with over 50 staff to pay extension fees for H-1B and L-1 visa petitions.
On 9 September, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin enforcing a new rule requiring employers with 50 or more employees to pay a fee of $4,000 for each H-1B extension petition and $4,500 for each L-1 extension petition. This rule broadens the scope of H-1B and L-1 fees to include extension petitions submitted by specific employers, even if the foreign professionals remain employed by the same organization.
The fee does not increase in amount but expands the types of petitions subject to it. This new regulation will primarily impact US-based companies that heavily rely on foreign talent, potentially leading to higher immigration expenses for these businesses. Indian professionals, who make up nearly 70% of the approximately 85,000 H-1B visas granted annually, may be indirectly affected if employers reconsider the financial implications of frequently renewing visas.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
