U.S. President Donald Trump is set to introduce a new $100,000 application fee for H-1B worker visas as part of his broader immigration crackdown, a White House official confirmed.
The president is expected to sign a proclamation as early as Friday that would restrict entry under the H-1B visa program unless the hefty fee is paid. Trump also plans to raise prevailing-wage levels for H-1B positions in a bid to limit their use.
The H-1B program is critical for U.S. technology and staffing firms, which depend on skilled foreign workers to fill technical roles. In 2025, Amazon secured over 10,000 H-1B visas, while Microsoft and Meta each received more than 5,000 approvals, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the tech industry. Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, a company heavily reliant on H-1B workers, fell more than 5% on Friday.
Critics of the program argue that companies use H-1B workers to suppress wages and bypass qualified American workers. But supporters maintain that the visas supply essential expertise, especially in specialized fields.
India remains the biggest beneficiary of H-1B visas, with its nationals accounting for 71% of approvals in 2024. China followed at 11.7%.
H-1B visas, typically granted for three to six years, are reserved for people in specialty occupations such as software engineering, IT project management, and other technology roles.
