Trump to Impose $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visa Applications

Lead President Donald Trump will sign a proclamation today imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, aiming to curb program “abuse” and protect American workers, the White House said.

Nut Graf The unprecedented surcharge marks the administration’s latest effort to overhaul employment-based immigration, accompanied by plans to revise prevailing-wage levels. Tech and consulting firms warn it will drive up costs and slow hiring of specialized talent.

Impact on Visa Program

• Mandatory $100,000 application fee for all new H-1B petitions
• Labor Department instructed to initiate rulemaking on prevailing-wage revisions
• Fee intended to deter “underpaid” foreign hires and reduce displacement of U.S. workers

Market Reaction

• Infosys shares dropped 4.5% following the Bloomberg report on Trump’s fee plan
• Cognizant and Accenture stocks fell 4.3% and 1.3%, respectively, amid concerns over increased hiring costs

Industry Concerns Companies that rely heavily on H-1B visas for technical roles say the fee will:

• Inflate project budgets and slow down staffing decisions
• Disproportionately affect smaller firms and startups unable to absorb additional costs
• Create uncertainty for prospective visa applicants and employers navigating the program

Administration Rationale The administration argues the fee will:

• Generate revenue to fund enforcement of labor-market protections
• Discourage misuse of the H-1B pathway to undercut American wages
• Prioritize “legitimate filings” and drive out bad actors, officials told Bloomberg

Next Steps The proclamation takes effect immediately, and the Labor Secretary must publish proposed wage-level adjustments in the Federal Register. Stakeholders have signaled plans to challenge both the fee and wage rule through litigation and formal administrative comments.