U.S. companies hiring employees under the H-1B visa program will now be required to pay an annual fee of $100,000 to the government. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday imposing the fee.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the move will encourage American companies to prioritize domestic workers while still allowing highly skilled foreign professionals to contribute.
“We want the best workers, and this step ensures exactly that,” Trump stated after signing the order.
According to him, the high cost of obtaining H-1B visas will help curb misuse of the program. The change is expected to directly impact the large numbers of Indian and Chinese skilled workers brought into the U.S. technology sector.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that discussions are underway with the Department of Homeland Security to set the fee at $100,000 per year or $300,000 for three years upfront.
“Gold Card” Pathway for Wealthy Immigrants
Alongside the fee increase, the Trump administration has also announced a new immigration pathway called the “Gold Card.” This would allow wealthy foreigners to obtain fast-track visas. Under the plan, a foreign national could secure a U.S. green card by paying $1 million, while companies could expedite the process for their employees by paying $2 million.
Lutnick emphasized that the current green card system favors low-level workers, but the new initiative will prioritize “only the best and most extraordinary talent.”
The H-1B visa remains the largest U.S. program for admitting foreign skilled professionals, typically valid for three years with the possibility of renewal. It is capped at 65,000 visas annually, plus an additional 20,000 for advanced degree holders from U.S. universities. The visa is widely used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
Tech giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta heavily rely on the program to bring in top global talent. Economists argue that the H-1B visa strengthens U.S. competitiveness and drives job creation. However, business leaders warn that the new $100,000 annual fee will raise costs and reduce incentives for hiring foreign talent.
Trump has long criticized the program, claiming companies used cheap foreign labor to replace American workers. During his 2016 campaign, he argued H-1B visas were being misused, but during the 2024 campaign he hinted at offering legal status to foreign graduates of U.S. universities.
The program already operates through a lottery system due to high demand, and Trump’s new move is seen as part of his broader strategy to tighten U.S. immigration policy, similar to restrictions he imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
