The Trump administration has proposed requiring employers to pay $103,265 for certain new H-1B visa petitions filed for highly skilled foreign professionals.
The proposed charge would represent a major increase from the approximately $2,000 to $5,000 that employers previously paid in combined application expenses. It would primarily apply to workers seeking new visas through American consulates outside the United States.
The proposed fee would not cover visa renewals or certain applicants already studying in the United States. It must go through a public-comment and regulatory-review process before it can become a final rule.
A temporary $100,000 fee introduced in 2025 was blocked by a federal court in June 2026. The court ruled that the charge amounted to an unauthorized tax that had not been approved by Congress. The administration is appealing that decision.
Why it matters: The H-1B programme makes 85,000 visas available annually and is widely used by technology, healthcare and engineering employers. A six-figure fee could discourage smaller companies from recruiting overseas and particularly affect professionals from India
