The Trump administration has proposed a one-time $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications as part of its broader effort to reshape U.S. immigration policy and place greater emphasis on domestic hiring. The policy, formally announced on Wednesday, is intended to encourage companies to offer higher wages for H-1B workers and prioritize roles that require advanced technical skills over temporary foreign labor. This initiative comes amid growing concerns over the perceived over-reliance of U.S. employers on foreign talent and its potential impact on domestic job markets. The fee is expected to take effect in the next annual H-1B lottery, which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reached its annual cap in July.
The H-1B visa program has become integral to the U.S. tech industry, enabling companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple to access a global pool of highly skilled professionals. According to USCIS data from 2024 through mid-2025, Amazon obtained the most H-1B visas, with over 19,000 approvals, followed by Microsoft and Apple. The proposed fee, however, could significantly impact these companies, as well as Indian outsourcing firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and HCLTech, which maintain substantial U.S. operations and compete directly for H-1B visas. The program’s importance to the U.S. economy was underscored by the fact that the top seven H-1B recipients in the past year were all tech firms, with JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, and Deloitte rounding out the top 10.
The proposal has sparked widespread debate, with critics arguing that the fee may discourage companies from hiring skilled foreign engineers, leading to potential shortages in specialized fields. The administration, however, maintains that the policy aligns with broader economic goals by reducing the reliance on foreign labor and promoting domestic employment. As the U.S. tech industry continues to grapple with the ramifications of the proposed changes, the debate over the H-1B visa program is expected to remain a focal point in discussions about immigration and labor policy in the U.S.