President Donald Trump will speak before signing an executive order at the White House’s oval office on September 19, 2025.
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President Donald Trump raised the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 on Friday, with businesses rushing to respond.
There’s a breakdown of the new H-1B fees as many left wonder if their careers are terrible:
What has Trump changed?
As of Sunday, an H-1B visa application requires a payment of $100,000. Previously, visa fees ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 per application, depending on the size of the company.
Employers must currently have payment documentation before filing the H-1B petition on behalf of the worker. According to the White House, applicants will limit petitions for 12 months until payment is made.
Who does this affect?
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the fees apply only to new H-1B applicants, not renewal or current visa holders. Fees will be held during the upcoming lottery cycle.
Those who already have an H-1B visa and who are outside the US do not have to pay to re-enter.
Leavitt also revealed that $100,000 is a one-off payment and not an annual fee.
An exception is given to immigrants who are crucial to the national interests by the Secretary of Homeland Security and do not pose a threat to the safety or welfare of the United States.
Employees with B visas that began their start date prior to October 2026 will also receive additional guidance to prevent them from using these temporary business visas as a workaround for the H-1B visa.
Who are these workers and why are they needed?
The H-1B visa allows highly skilled foreign professionals to work in professionals that require at least a bachelor’s degree to play a role in general. Work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or STEM are usually qualified.
Many employers use H-1B workers to fill these highly technical role gaps that are not found within the American labor supply.
Companies in the high-tech and financial sector rely heavily on skilled immigrants, particularly from India and China, accounting for 71% and 11.7% of visa holders last year, respectively.
How many H-1B visas does the high-tech industry use each year?
The current annual cap for the H-1B visa is 65,000, with an additional 20,000 visas for foreign professionals with a master’s or doctoral degree from a US institution. The lottery system is used to select additional petitions if demand exceeds the cap.
More than 60% of approved H-1B workers have been working in computer-related jobs since 2012, according to Pew Research.
Amazon According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, it was the top employer of H-1B holders in 2025 and sponsored more than 10,000 applicants by the end of June. Microsoft and Meta They each exceeded 5,000 apple and Google They concluded the top six with over 4,000 approvals.
Watch: CoreWeave CEO of H-1B Visa: Additional charge is “Gear Sand” for access to talent
