Trump Admin Moves to Impose More Than $100K Fee For H-1B Worker Visas
The Trump administration is proposing to make permanent a $103,265 fee on certain new H-1B visas, dramatically increasing costs for employers that rely on highly skilled foreign workers in tech, education, and research. "A federal judge in June ruled that the fee was illegal and blocked the Trump administration from collecting it," reports Reuters. "A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing that…
The Trump administration is proposing to make a $103,265 fee permanent for certain new H-1B visas, significantly raising expenses for businesses that depend on highly skilled foreign workers in technology, education, and research, according to reports from Reuters. A federal judge blocked the fee in June, but a Boston-based appeals court is reviewing the decision, while another court examines the validity of a challenge to the fee brought by a major business association.
The current temporary fee increase is set to expire in September, one year after it was introduced. The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on Monday, could be finalized by the end of the year. The H-1B program permits U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with expertise in specialized fields, offering 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 for workers who hold advanced degrees, valid for three to six years.
Prior to the Trump administration's order, these visas typically came with fees ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. The proposed fee would not be applicable to visas granted to foreign citizens already residing in the United States on student visas, which account for a significant portion of new H-1B recipients, or to renewals of existing visas.
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