US President Donald Trump plans to impose a new $100,000 application fee for H-1B worker visas, a White House official said, potentially dealing a big blow to the technology sector that relies heavily on skilled workers from India and China.
As part of his broader immigration crackdown, the Republican president was expected to sign a proclamation last night restricting entry under the H-1B visa programme unless the application fee is paid, the official said.
The H-1B programme has become critical for technology and staffing companies who rely on foreign workers to fill a variety of technical roles. Amazon had more than 10,000 H-1B visas approved in the first half of 2025, while Microsoft and Meta Platforms had more than 5,000 H-1B visa approvals each, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Filing fees currently start at $215 but can be several thousand dollars more, depending on the circumstances.
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