The Trump administration introduced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications, prompting several major US employers to pause or reduce sponsorship for foreign workers. The move has sparked debate across industries and legal challenges.
Officials claim the steep fee aims to attract highly skilled foreign workers while preventing misuse of the visa system to undercut American wages. However, many employers argue it limits access to much-needed global talent and innovation.
The new charge applies only to foreign applicants outside the United States without valid visas. Current H-1B holders, renewals, or visa conversions—like students shifting from F-1 to H-1B—remain exempt from the super fee rule.
Immigration expert Mark Koestler clarified that applicants in valid US status are not affected if they seek extensions or status changes. The hefty fee only targets new overseas applicants without any valid immigration status.
Nvidia, the US-based semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) company, will continue sponsoring H-1B applicants and bear all related costs. Meanwhile, firms such as Walmart, Tata Consultancy Services, and Intuitive Surgical have paused sponsorships amid uncertainty over the new visa rule.
Cognizant, the US-based IT firm originally founded in India, now limits its job postings to candidates already authorised to work in the country. Intuitive Surgical has similarly paused H-1B offers, showing how tech companies are reworking hiring plans amid policy uncertainty.
US Chamber of Commerce executive Neil Bradley called the $100,000 fee “cost-prohibitive,” warning it would particularly hurt small and midsize firms that depend on global professionals to drive innovation and growth within the country.
Immigration lawyer Divij Kishore warned that fewer H-1B hires could reduce diversity and skill depth in US workplaces. Over time, companies may move high-value work abroad, weakening America’s global competitiveness in emerging technologies.
