Trump Reinstates $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee and Tightens Screening Rules
The extended restriction will remain in effect through September 2027, while US agencies will examine employer layoffs and other labour-market data during visa reviews.
Washington, September 19: US President Donald Trump has extended for another year a $100,000 payment requirement linked to certain H-1B visa applications, while introducing additional scrutiny of employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers.
Under a presidential proclamation issued on September 18, the restriction will remain in effect until September 21, 2027. It applies to certain H-1B workers outside the United States whose petitions are not accompanied by the required payment, subject to specified exceptions and national interest determinations.
The administration first introduced the payment requirement in September 2025. The White House said the policy had resulted in a significant change in H-1B registration patterns, including a reported 92 per cent reduction in registrations from the largest IT outsourcing companies.
The extension comes as the policy continues to face legal challenges in US courts. Reuters reported that the fee increase is being contested through ongoing litigation, including proceedings involving federal courts.
A separate executive order signed by Trump on September 18 also directs federal agencies to strengthen coordination while reviewing H-1B applications. The Secretaries of State, Labour and Homeland Security have been directed to consider recent or planned layoffs of similarly situated US workers when assessing applications.
The order further calls for agencies to examine information relating to wages, employment conditions and occupational specialisation as part of the administration of the programme.
The H-1B system allows US employers to hire foreign workers for specialised occupations, particularly in technology and other highly skilled fields. Indian professionals have historically accounted for a substantial share of H-1B beneficiaries.
The White House said the latest measures are intended to address what the administration describes as misuse of the programme and to ensure that companies recruit highly skilled workers where needed. Business groups and immigration advocates have raised concerns about the effects of the restrictions, while the legal challenges will determine how the policy proceeds.
