Trump raises fee for skilled worker visas by $100,000 despite tech sector warnings
US President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the fee for H-1B visas for skilled workers to rise by $100,000 annually despite opposition from the US tech sector, which says it needs skilled foreign workers to fill job vacancies. The US approved about 400,000 H-1B visas in 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.
20/09/2025 -
By: FRANCE 24
Trump signed orders increasing fees on H-1B visas and creating a new $1 million expedited "gold" residency card. © Mandel Ngan, AFP
US President Donald Trump on Friday ordered an annual $100,000 fee be added to H-1B skilled worker visas, creating potentially major repercussions for the tech industry where such permits are prolific.
The new measure, which could likely face legal challenges, was announced alongside the introduction of a $1 million "gold card" residency program that Trump had previewed months earlier.
"The main thing is, we're going to have great people coming in, and they're going to be paying," Trump told reporters as he signed the orders in the Oval Office.
India's leading trade body Nasscom on Saturday said the timeline for implementing the new fee was a "concern".
"A one-day deadline creates considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world," it said in a statement after President Donald Trump announced the fee which comes into force from Sunday.
It added that policy changes of this scale were best "introduced with adequate transition periods, allowing organizations and individuals to plan effectively and minimize disruption."
H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills – such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers – to work in the United States, initially for three years, but extendable to six years.
The United States awards 85,000 H-1B visas per year on a lottery system, with India accounting for around three-quarters of the recipients.
Large technology firms rely on Indian workers who either relocate to the United States or come and go between the two countries.
Tech entrepreneurs – including Trump's former ally Elon Musk – have warned against targeting H-1B visas, saying that the United States does not have enough homegrown talent to fill important tech sector job vacancies.
Read moreHow visas for skilled foreign workers are splitting MAGA in two
"All the big companies are on board," said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who joined Trump in the Oval Office.
Trump has had the H-1B program in his sights since his first term in office, but faced court challenges to his earlier approach, which targeted the types of jobs that qualify. The current iteration has become the latest move in the major immigration crackdown of his second term.
According to Trump's order, the fee will be required for those seeking to enter the country beginning Sunday, with the Homeland Security secretary able to exempt individuals, entire companies or entire industries.
The order expires in a year, though Trump can extend it.
The number of H-1B visa applications has risen sharply in recent years, with a peak in approvals in 2022 under Democratic president Joe Biden.
In contrast, the peak in rejections was recorded in 2018, during Trump's first term in the White House.
The United States approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas in 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.
Trump also signed an order creating a new expedited pathway to US residency for people who pay $1 million, or for corporate sponsors to pay $2 million.
"I think it's going to be tremendously successful," Trump added.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
US President Donald Trump on Friday ordered an annual $100,000 fee be added to H-1B skilled worker visas, creating potentially major repercussions for the tech industry where such permits are prolific.
The new measure, which could likely face legal challenges, was announced alongside the introduction of a $1 million "gold card" residency program that Trump had previewed months earlier.
"The main thing is, we're going to have great people coming in, and they're going to be paying," Trump told reporters as he signed the orders in the Oval Office.
India's leading trade body Nasscom on Saturday said the timeline for implementing the new fee was a "concern".
"A one-day deadline creates considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world," it said in a statement after President Donald Trump announced the fee which comes into force from Sunday.
It added that policy changes of this scale were best "introduced with adequate transition periods, allowing organizations and individuals to plan effectively and minimize disruption."
H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills – such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers – to work in the United States, initially for three years, but extendable to six years.
The United States awards 85,000 H-1B visas per year on a lottery system, with India accounting for around three-quarters of the recipients.
Large technology firms rely on Indian workers who either relocate to the United States or come and go between the two countries.
Tech entrepreneurs – including Trump's former ally Elon Musk – have warned against targeting H-1B visas, saying that the United States does not have enough homegrown talent to fill important tech sector job vacancies.
Read moreHow visas for skilled foreign workers are splitting MAGA in two
"All the big companies are on board," said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who joined Trump in the Oval Office.
Trump has had the H-1B program in his sights since his first term in office, but faced court challenges to his earlier approach, which targeted the types of jobs that qualify. The current iteration has become the latest move in the major immigration crackdown of his second term.
According to Trump's order, the fee will be required for those seeking to enter the country beginning Sunday, with the Homeland Security secretary able to exempt individuals, entire companies or entire industries.
The order expires in a year, though Trump can extend it.
The number of H-1B visa applications has risen sharply in recent years, with a peak in approvals in 2022 under Democratic president Joe Biden.
In contrast, the peak in rejections was recorded in 2018, during Trump's first term in the White House.
The United States approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas in 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.
Trump also signed an order creating a new expedited pathway to US residency for people who pay $1 million, or for corporate sponsors to pay $2 million.
"I think it's going to be tremendously successful," Trump added.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
India warns new US fee for H-1B visa will have 'humanitarian consequences'
Ben Hatton -
Sun, September 21, 2025
India's Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, whose office warned the change would disrupt families [EPA]
The Indian government has said a new $100,000 (£74,000) fee for applicants seeking US skilled worker visas will have "humanitarian consequences".
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the new fee for H-1B visa applications, which is more than 60 times the amount currently charged, to go into effect on 21 September.
Workers from India receive by far the most skilled visas in the programme, at just more than 70% of those issued.
Some US tech companies reportedly advised employees with H-1B visas to stay in the US or, if they were out of the country, to try to return immediately. The White House then on Saturday clarified the fee will not apply to current visas or renewal applications.
A statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said the fee would have humanitarian consequences "by way of the disruption caused for families".
The Indian government "hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities", it also said.
The exchange of skilled workers has "contributed enormously" to both nations, the statement said, adding: "Policy makers will therefore assess recent steps taking into account mutual benefits, which include strong people-to-people ties between the two countries."
The statement did not provide specifics on any potential response from India's government.
Since Trump imposed punishing tariffs on India last month for purchasing Russian oil, the two countries have been locked in tense trade negotiations. The US exported $41.5bn worth of goods to India in 2024, and imported more than double that, $87.3 bn, according to the US Trade Representative's office.
On Saturday, the Indian government said its commerce minister Piyush Goyal would visit the US on Monday for trade talks, according to Reuters.
Making such a major change to the H-1B programme in such a narrow window of created "considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world", India's leading trade body Nasscom said.
In announcing the planned change, the White House said the visas were not being used as intended, citing data it said suggests some visas are being "abused" to undercut American wages and outsource IT jobs.
But the order allows for "case-by-case exemptions if in the national interest", the White House said.
The skilled visa route is intended to allow companies in the US to temporarily employ foreign workers with "highly specialised knowledge".
Just under 400,000 H-1B visas were approved in 2024, of which around 260,000 were renewals, according to US-based Pew Research Center.
Data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that in the first half of 2025 Amazon received the most H-1B visa approvals, with 10,044.
In second was Indian technology company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), with 5,505.
Trump's proclamation applies to applications submitted for workers currently outside the US, which must be "accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000" (about 8.8mn Indian Rupees). Currently, the administrative fees for an application total $1,500.
Amazon, Microsoft and JP Morgan were among the companies to advise employees with H-1B visas to remain in the US, and for those outside of the US to try and return before the deadline, according to Reuters.
The advisories appeared to be precautionary, given the order did not say H-1B visa holders would be barred from re-entering the country or charged the new fee if they were temporarily out of the country, after Sunday.
According to an internal advisory, seen by Business Insider, Amazon said employees unable to return to the US before the order takes effect should avoid attempting US re-entry "until further guidance is provided".
Ben Hatton -
Sun, September 21, 2025
India's Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, whose office warned the change would disrupt families [EPA]
The Indian government has said a new $100,000 (£74,000) fee for applicants seeking US skilled worker visas will have "humanitarian consequences".
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the new fee for H-1B visa applications, which is more than 60 times the amount currently charged, to go into effect on 21 September.
Workers from India receive by far the most skilled visas in the programme, at just more than 70% of those issued.
Some US tech companies reportedly advised employees with H-1B visas to stay in the US or, if they were out of the country, to try to return immediately. The White House then on Saturday clarified the fee will not apply to current visas or renewal applications.
A statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said the fee would have humanitarian consequences "by way of the disruption caused for families".
The Indian government "hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities", it also said.
The exchange of skilled workers has "contributed enormously" to both nations, the statement said, adding: "Policy makers will therefore assess recent steps taking into account mutual benefits, which include strong people-to-people ties between the two countries."
The statement did not provide specifics on any potential response from India's government.
Since Trump imposed punishing tariffs on India last month for purchasing Russian oil, the two countries have been locked in tense trade negotiations. The US exported $41.5bn worth of goods to India in 2024, and imported more than double that, $87.3 bn, according to the US Trade Representative's office.
On Saturday, the Indian government said its commerce minister Piyush Goyal would visit the US on Monday for trade talks, according to Reuters.
Making such a major change to the H-1B programme in such a narrow window of created "considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world", India's leading trade body Nasscom said.
In announcing the planned change, the White House said the visas were not being used as intended, citing data it said suggests some visas are being "abused" to undercut American wages and outsource IT jobs.
But the order allows for "case-by-case exemptions if in the national interest", the White House said.
The skilled visa route is intended to allow companies in the US to temporarily employ foreign workers with "highly specialised knowledge".
Just under 400,000 H-1B visas were approved in 2024, of which around 260,000 were renewals, according to US-based Pew Research Center.
Data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that in the first half of 2025 Amazon received the most H-1B visa approvals, with 10,044.
In second was Indian technology company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), with 5,505.
Trump's proclamation applies to applications submitted for workers currently outside the US, which must be "accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000" (about 8.8mn Indian Rupees). Currently, the administrative fees for an application total $1,500.
Amazon, Microsoft and JP Morgan were among the companies to advise employees with H-1B visas to remain in the US, and for those outside of the US to try and return before the deadline, according to Reuters.
The advisories appeared to be precautionary, given the order did not say H-1B visa holders would be barred from re-entering the country or charged the new fee if they were temporarily out of the country, after Sunday.
According to an internal advisory, seen by Business Insider, Amazon said employees unable to return to the US before the order takes effect should avoid attempting US re-entry "until further guidance is provided".
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