September 20, 2025
By Tobi Akinnubi
The Trump administration has announced a new $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications, significantly raising the cost for companies seeking to employ foreign skilled workers.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday, September 19, directing that petitions for H-1B workers outside the United States must now be accompanied by the payment before the worker is admitted. The measure takes effect from 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025.
The White House said the new fee would ensure that only highly skilled and high-paid workers enter the country, while safeguarding American jobs. Employers are required to keep documentation of the payment, which will be verified by the Departments of State and Homeland Security.
The proclamation, which will initially last for 12 months, also orders a review of prevailing wage rules and prioritization of “high-skilled, high-paid” applicants in the H-1B program.
Major U.S. technology firms, including Amazon, Google, Microsoft and IBM, are among the largest beneficiaries of H-1B visas. Critics, however, warn that the steep cost may push companies to move jobs abroad and could discourage international students from pursuing studies in the United States.
