US Extends $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Order for Another Year

In a move that extends into 2026, President Donald Trump's administration has renewed an executive order imposing a hefty $100,000 fee on H-1B non-immigrant visas, the White House announced. Initially introduced in September 2025, the order's expiration had been imminent this month. Trump has long advocated for a permanent hike in the H-1B visa fee, pushing for it to be raised from the current range of roughly $2,000 to $5,000 to the proposed $100,000 mark.

H-1B visas provide a pathway for US employers to recruit skilled foreign professionals, predominantly in the technology sector, to work in the United States for several years. The high fee increase, however, has been met with legal challenges. A Boston-based appeals court is presently examining a June ruling by a federal judge who deemed the higher fee unlawful and barred the Trump administration from collecting it.

Simultaneously, another court is reviewing whether the judge's decision was correct in dismissing a challenge to the fee filed by the US Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest business advocacy organization.

The $100,000 fee exemption extends to foreign nationals already residing in the United States on student visas who subsequently obtain H-1B status. Additionally, renewals of existing H-1B visas are also not subject to the increased fee. Trump has frequently lambasted the visa program as part of his immigration enforcement agenda.

Critics of the H-1B system contend that certain companies exploit it to hire foreign workers at lower wages instead of employing American citizens. Business associations and corporations, on the other hand, contend that the program is indispensable for attracting highly qualified professionals to fill gaps in the US workforce.

Established by Congress in 1990, the H-1B visa program has gained significant importance for technology firms recruiting skilled workers from nations such as India and China. Changes in the scrutiny and processing of H-1B applications have significantly impacted companies' hiring and expansion strategies. Several leading users of the visa program, like Alphabet, Google's parent company, have countered by augmenting their operations in India.