President Donald Trump has announced a new measure that will impose a $100,000 fee on foreign workers applying for an H-1B visa. This measure is likely to face legal challenges. The announcement was made alongside the introduction of a $1 million “gold card” residency program, which Trump had mentioned months earlier. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump stated, “The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying.”
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. The initial visa is for three years but can be extended to six. The U.S. grants 85,000 H-1B visas annually through a lottery system, with about three-quarters of the recipients being from India. Large technology firms heavily rely on Indian workers who either relocate to the U.S. or travel between the two countries. Technology entrepreneurs, including Trump’s former ally Elon Musk, have warned against targeting the H-1B program, arguing that the U.S. does not have enough domestic talent to fill critical tech sector job openings.
Trump’s order requires the new fee for those seeking to enter the country starting Sunday, with the Homeland Security secretary having the authority to grant exemptions to individuals, entire companies, or specific industries. The order is set to expire in a year, though it can be extended.
New Title: A Look at H-1B Visa Trends and Approvals
The number of H-1B visa applications has increased sharply in recent years, with a peak in approvals in 2022 under then-President Joe Biden. In contrast, the highest number of rejections was recorded in 2018 during Trump’s first term. In 2024, the U.S. approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas, two-thirds of which were renewals. Trump also signed an order creating an expedited path to U.S. residency for individuals who pay $1 million, or for corporate sponsors who pay $2 million. Trump added, “I think it’s going to be tremendously successful.”
