US President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order introducing a hefty $100,000 (₹88 lakhs) fee for applicants to the H-1B visa program, which brings skilled foreign workers into American industries.
The proclamation, expected soon, will cite “abuse” of the program and restrict entry unless applicants pay the new fee. A separate order is also likely to mandate a review of minimum wage requirements for H-1B workers.
The move reignites the long-running debate over the visa scheme. Critics argue H-1Bs undercut American jobs, while supporters — including billionaire Elon Musk — contend the program helps the US attract top global talent.
Currently, H-1B fees vary depending on employer size but include a $215 registration charge, a $780 filing fee, and a $500 fraud prevention fee.
Large companies already spend tens of thousands of dollars annually on the program, but the new $100,000 levy would mark a seismic shift.
Applications for the 2026 fiscal year dropped to about 359,000 — the lowest in four years — according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In the previous year, Amazon was the largest beneficiary, followed by TCS, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google.
The H-1B program, capped at 85,000 new visas annually since 2004, has long divided Trump’s supporters.
While some advisors, like Steve Bannon, oppose it outright, Trump has at times praised it as “a great program,” even suggesting during his campaign that college graduates should automatically get green cards.
“You need a pool of people to work for companies,” Trump told the All-In Podcast last year. “You have to be able to recruit these people and keep these people.”
