Trump to Impose $100,000 Fee Per Year for H-1B Visas

The Trump administration said it would require companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B worker visas, a move that prompted major tech firms to warn visa holders to stay in the U.S. or quickly return, Aditya Soni, Kristina Cooke, and Jeff Mason reported for Reuters.

Trump’s push to restrict H-1B visas has become a major flashpoint with the tech industry, which contributed millions of dollars to his presidential campaign.

The change could deal a significant blow to the technology sector, which relies heavily on skilled workers from India and China.

Since taking office in January, Trump has launched a sweeping immigration crackdown, including steps to limit some forms of legal immigration. The overhaul of the H-1B visa program marks his administration’s most high-profile effort yet to reshape temporary employment visas.

“If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

“Train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs.”

Trump’s push to restrict H-1B visas has become a major flashpoint with the tech industry, which contributed millions of dollars to his presidential campaign.

Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon responded to the announcement by advising employees holding H-1B visas to remain in the U.S., according to internal emails reviewed by Reuters.