US President Donald Trump has extended for another year an executive order imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applicants.
Under the H-1B visa programme, US employers can hire skilled foreign workers in technology and other sectors. However, the additional $100,000 fee for new visas is facing legal challenges.
The fee was first introduced in September 2025 and was due to expire this month. The Trump administration has now extended it for another year. Its legality, however, remains under challenge in US courts.
A Boston appeals court is reviewing a federal judge’s ruling that declared the additional fee unlawful and barred the government from collecting it. Another court is also reviewing a challenge by the US Chamber of Commerce against the fee.
According to the report, the additional charge does not apply to foreign nationals already in the US on student visas who later obtain new H-1B visas. Existing H-1B visa holders seeking renewals are also exempt from the fee.
Critics of the H-1B programme argue that some companies use it to hire foreign workers at lower wages instead of US citizens. Business groups, however, maintain that the programme helps companies recruit skilled professionals and address shortages in certain sectors.
Congress introduced the H-1B visa programme in 1990. It has become particularly important for technology companies that recruit skilled workers from countries including India and China.
In addition to the higher fee, the Trump administration has introduced changes to the screening and processing of H-1B visa applications, affecting recruitment and expansion plans at some companies.
Separately, the US Department of Homeland Security has recently proposed raising the fee for new H-1B visas permanently to $103,265. The proposal has yet to be finalised.
