Trump Imposes $100,000 Fee on Skilled Worker Visa Applicants
Trump Imposes $100,000 Fee on Skilled Worker Visa Applicants
U.S. President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order imposing a $100,000 (£74,000) fee for applicants to the H-1B visa program designed for skilled foreign workers.
The proclamation refers to the “abuse” of the program and will limit entry unless payment is received.
Critics have often contended that H-1B visas undermine the American workforce, whereas supporters—including billionaire Elon Musk—assert that these visas enable the U.S. to draw top talent from across the globe.
In a different initiative, Trump introduced a new “gold card” program to expedite visa processing for select immigrants in exchange for fees starting at £1 million.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick joined Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.
“A hundred thousand dollars annually for H1-B visas, and all the major companies are in agreement,” he stated. “We’ve had discussions with them.”
“If you plan to train someone, consider selecting a recent graduate from one of the prestigious universities in our country. Let’s focus on training Americans and prioritize creating job opportunities for them instead of bringing in individuals from other places.”
Since 2004, the annual limit for H-1B applications has been set at 85,000.
Up to this point, H-1B visas have included several administrative fees amounting to approximately $1,500.
According to data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the number of H-1B visa applications for the upcoming fiscal year has decreased to approximately 359,000, marking a four-year low.
