On September 19, former President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing sweeping new restrictions and fees on the H-1B visa program for highly skilled foreign workers, triggering immediate backlash from immigration experts and business leaders.
Under the new order, all H-1B visa holders including those currently approved will be required to pay a $100,000 annual maintenance fee.
Additionally, new applicants and extensions must pay a $100,000 processing fee, effective Sunday, September 21.
Trump’s executive order also bars entry into the United States for any H-1B visa holder who does not pay the $100,000 entry fee, effectively placing a financial blockade on the program.
The H-1B visa, commonly used in the tech, healthcare, and education sectors, has historically had processing fees of around $215.
The sudden and dramatic fee increase nearly 465 times higher is seen by many as a de facto shutdown of the program.
Critics warn the move could destabilize industries that rely heavily on skilled foreign talent. “No one, even those earning $500,000, will be willing to pay an extra $100,000 per year just to work in the U.S.,” said one industry analyst.
“This could destroy healthcare, higher education, and technology sectors if not blocked in court.”
Alongside the H-1B changes, Trump unveiled a new visa initiative aimed at wealthy individuals and corporations.
The “Trump Gold Card” will offer a path to U.S. citizenship for a $1 million individual investment after vetting. Companies wishing to sponsor an employee would pay $2 million.
Trump also announced a premium “Platinum Card” visa for $5 million, allowing foreign nationals to spend up to 270 days a year in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on foreign income.
The Platinum Card replaces the investor visa announced earlier in February, which had a similar $5 million price tag.
“We expect the Trump Gold Card to generate over $100 billion very quickly,” said Trump. “That revenue will go toward tax cuts, infrastructure projects, and reducing the national debt.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledged that the changes will likely lead to a sharp decline in H-1B visa issuance. “For many employers, the program is just not economic anymore,” he said.
“If you want to bring in a very sophisticated engineer, you’ll need to pay $100,000 a year for their visa.”
Major tech companies including Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Google have not yet commented publicly.
These firms have historically been the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program, which operates via an annual lottery system.
California, home to the largest population of H-1B workers, is expected to be especially hard-hit.
Analysts predict that many companies will no longer find it financially viable to sponsor international workers under the new fee structure.
Immigration critics welcomed the changes. U.S. Tech Workers, a group advocating for American labor, called the fee hikes “the next best thing to abolishing the H-1B program.”
However, former Biden-era USCIS official Doug Rand strongly criticized the move, calling it “ludicrously lawless.”
“This isn’t real policy it’s fan service for immigration restrictionists,” Rand said.
The order is expected to face immediate legal challenges.
