{"id":8370,"date":"2025-10-03T16:35:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T16:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oui-immigration.com\/?p=8370"},"modified":"2025-10-03T16:34:57","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T16:34:57","slug":"h1b-visa-fee-increase-trump","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oui-immigration.com\/en\/h1b-visa-fee-increase-trump\/","title":{"rendered":"United States \u2013 H1B: Shock Announcement, Real Consequences?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following Donald Trump’s thunderous announcement on September 20th to increase H1B work visa fees to $100,000, it’s time to take stock. The news has caused intense panic and stress at airports and within companies that use this visa to recruit international talent.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n

NOW \u2013 THE ANNOUNCEMENT<\/strong><\/h5>\r\n

The announcement of the signing of the Proclamation \u201cRestriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers\u201d<\/a><\/span> caught everyone by surprise. This text sets the \u201cgovernmental fees\u201d at $100,000 for any U.S. employer wishing to hire through the H1B program. However, as we now know, there is a difference between what Donald Trump announces and what the U.S. justice system validates.<\/p>\r\n

His initial announcement indicated that any H1B applicant had to prove their employer had paid the $100,000 fee (a 1,200% increase). However, USCIS (the U.S. immigration authority) quickly tempered this statement. The agency clarified that this requirement only applies to petitions filed after September 21.<\/p>\r\n

Therefore, petitions already filed, existing approvals, and currently valid visas are not affected. The situation regarding a change of employer is not yet specified in the official text.<\/p>\r\n

In the same proclamation, the Department of Labor will increase the minimum wage required for this work permit. This measure is in line with the government’s desire to prioritize hiring American talent and to favor \u201cthe best of the best temporary foreign workers.\u201d The current lottery system (which issues 85,000 visas per year) would operate differently, in order to prioritize candidates with the highest skills and salaries.<\/p>\r\n

These announcements represent a cataclysm for the many companies (especially in tech, research, or healthcare) that use this program to recruit foreign talent. They could be challenged in court in the coming weeks. Currently, there are nearly 700,000 H1B holders in the United States, the majority from India and China. In 2024, more than 750,000 registrations were submitted for 85,000 slots. For the record, Elon Musk himself once held an H1B visa.<\/p>\r\n

A stroke of genius or a very poor Trumpian strategy? The coming months will tell.<\/p>\r\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n

TOMORROW \u2013 WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?<\/strong><\/h5>\r\n

If you wish to send talent to the United States, the H1B is not the only option, even if it is often the most suitable for recent graduates.<\/p>\r\n

For professional mobility, you can also consider:<\/p>\r\n\r\n