Summary
On Friday, the U.S. President announced that companies must now pay $100,000 for each new H-1B visa application. This fee increase aims to reduce the number of foreign workers brought to the U.S. under the H-1B visa program. The new rule applies to new applications only and exempts existing visa holders and those who applied before September 21.
Key Facts
- The H-1B visa program allows companies to hire foreign workers with special skills.
- The application fee for H-1B visas has increased to $100,000 from a range of $2,000 to $5,000.
- The fee hike starts at 12:01 am ET on Sunday.
- Existing H-1B visa holders and applications submitted before September 21 are not affected.
- The Department of Labor plans to update wage rules to ensure visas go to highly skilled workers.
- Indian workers constitute the majority of H-1B visa recipients, making up 71% of approvals.
- Historical data shows Indian tech companies receiving the most H-1B visas over recent years.
