Trump Imposes $100K H-1B Visa Fee – Big Impact for Indian Workers

H-1B visas allow skilled workers from other countries to work in the U.S., especially in technology, engineering, healthcare, and research roles. The program, created in 1990 was designed to fill jobs that are difficult to staff with American workers. Over time, some companies have also used it to hire foreign employees at lower salaries than U.S. workers.

On September 19, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications, effective September 21, 2025. This payment must accompany the visa petition, in addition to the existing smaller fees. Currently, applicants pay $215 to register for the lottery, plus other filing costs. This move aims to curb the perceived overuse of the program and prioritize high-skilled, high-paid foreign workers.

The proclamation also directs the Secretary of Labor to revise prevailing wage levels for H-1B workers, ensuring that employers cannot pay foreign employees less than their American counterparts. The Secretary of Homeland Security is instructed to prioritize the admission of high-skilled and high-paid foreign workers. Employers must provide documentation of the $100,000 payment when filing petitions, and the Secretary of State will verify receipt during the visa process.

This policy is expected to impact a significant number of Indian professionals, who receive nearly one-fifth of all H-1B visas. While large Indian IT firms such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro send thousands of employees to the U.S., a significant number of individual professionals including software developers, engineers, healthcare workers, and researchers also rely on H-1B visas to pursue U.S. careers. For them, the new $100,000 fee could make working in the U.S. substantially more expensive and difficult.

Each year, the H-1B program is capped at 65,000 visas for general applicants and 20,000 for those with U.S. master’s degrees. The new rules are initially effective for 12 months, after which the relevant secretaries will recommend to the President whether an extension is required.

By combining higher costs with stricter wage requirements, the policy is expected to reshape the landscape for Indian skilled workers and could also impact American companies that rely on foreign talent in various sectors.