Trump Administration Proposes $100,000 Fee for H-1B Workers
The Trump administration proposed a $103,265 fee on H-1B visa petitions subject to the annual cap, publishing the draft rule in the Federal Register on Monday.
- $103,265 would be paid on top of existing H-1B filing fees.
- 85,000 visas are issued annually under the cap the fee targets.
- Standard H-1B fees ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 before Trump's 2025 order.
- 344,000 H-1B registrations were submitted last year, down over 25 percent from 2024.
Why it matters: The proposed fee would affect employers in tech, engineering, and higher education that depend on H-1B workers to fill specialized roles.
- Cap-exempt petitions — covering many university and nonprofit research positions — would not pay the fee.
- Workers already in the U.S. on student visas and employees seeking renewals would also be exempt.
How 19 sources split on this story
Where they split: The core dispute is whether the H-1B program fills genuine labor shortages or displaces American workers at lower wages.
Bloomberg2hTrump Devises New $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee After Defeat in Court
Reuters6hGobierno Trump se dispone a aplicar tasa de más de 100.000 dólares para los visados de trabajo H-1B
Newsweek8hH-1B Visa Update: Trump administration proposes $103,265 feeStaStateline2hTrump administration plans $100,000 visa fee for high-skill foreign workers
The Hill3hTrump administration lays out new $103K fee proposal for H-1B visas
USA Today3hTrump admin seeks fee of over $100,000 for H-1B worker visasLeft coverage, 6 sources: The left frames the proposal as the administration pressing ahead despite a court ruling it unlawful, spotlighting legal vulnerability and the broad coalition opposing it.
The Independent3hTrump renews push to increase H-1B visa fee to $103,265
Al Jazeera3hTrump administration seeks to formalise H-1B fee of more than $100,000
CNN32mTrump administration proposes $103,000 fee for H-1B visasFPFlorida Phoenix5hTrump administration plans $100,000 visa fee for high-skill foreign workers
Political Wire10hTrump Proposes $103,000 Fee for H-1B VisasTNRThe New Republic22hTrump Wants H-1B Recipients to Pay Through the NoseRight coverage, 7 sources: The right frames the proposal as reigniting a Republican divide between MAGA critics who see the program as undercutting American workers and business conservatives who defend it.
Just the News4hTrump administration proposes $100,000 fee on H-1B visa workers already residing in the US
The Epoch Times22hDHS Proposes More Than $100,000 Fee for H-1B Worker Visas
NTD3hDHS Proposes More Than $100,000 Fee for H-1B Worker Visas
RedState6hCourt Knocks Down Trump’s H-1B Fee, So He Builds It $3,265 Taller
The Washington Times3hDHS proposes new $103,000 fee to hire foreign skilled guest workers
Townhall9hHere's Why H-1B Visas Could Get a Lot More Pricey
Washington Examiner57mTrump administration proposes $103,000 H-1B visa feeWhat’s next: The rule must complete the federal regulatory process before it can take effect.
- A related $100,000 executive-order fee — struck down in June — is under appeal in Boston.
- Litigants, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, may amend existing lawsuits to target the new rule once finalized.
- Will courts treat the proposed rule's different legal authority as sufficient to survive the challenges that sank the executive-order fee?
- How many employers will exit the H-1B program if the $103,265 fee is finalized, and which sectors would be most affected?