U.S. President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Friday, September 19, imposing a staggering $100,000 fee on every H-1B visa application, according to a White House official.
The move is part of the administration’s latest crackdown on foreign workers, aimed at narrowing access to the visa program and restricting applicants to only the wealthiest or best-funded employers.
Under the new order, entry under the H-1B program will be blocked unless the additional fee is paid in full. The Trump administration has long argued that the visa system — which brings in hundreds of thousands of skilled workers annually — allows companies to hire cheaper foreign labor, driving down wages for American employees.
Critics, however, warn that the fee will deal a major blow to the U.S. technology industry, which heavily depends on international talent, particularly from India and China.
“This policy creates a huge disincentive for the world’s smartest minds to come to the U.S.,” said Deedy Das, partner at Menlo Ventures, in a post on X. “If America stops attracting top global talent, it undermines innovation and long-term economic growth.”
While big corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta may be able to absorb the new costs — each securing thousands of H-1B approvals in just the first half of 2025 — smaller tech firms and start-ups could be priced out of the competition for skilled workers.
Government data shows that roughly two-thirds of H-1B positions are computer-related, though the visas are also widely used to recruit engineers, educators, and healthcare professionals. India accounted for 71% of H-1B beneficiaries last year, with China coming second at 11.7%.
For Silicon Valley and beyond, the new six-figure fee could reshape the global race for talent, forcing many skilled workers to look elsewhere as the U.S. grows less accessible.
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