Analysis: New $100K H-1B visa fee to cost US tech billions

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

The new H-1B visa fee to sponsor workers in the US will create a multi-billion-dollar annual burden for the tech industry and likely drive tech innovation shifts to India, Eastern Europe and Latin America as companies redirect investments, according to new research.

Posted by LampLighter at 09:27 PM | 5 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... Earlier this month, President Donald J. Trump announced a presidential proclamation reform to the H-1B visa program: every new H-1B visa petition must include a one-time, $100,000 fee per sponsored worker. The fee applies only to new petitions -- not renewals or current visa holders.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations (such as tech, engineering, finance). Each year, the program brings in 85,000 high-skilled high-paid professionals to help power the US economy.

With the new fee, the high cost of H-1B talent in late 2025 and 2026 will likely force employers to scale back their use of cross-border talent and -- perhaps -- projects, experts say. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-09-30 09:29 PM | Reply

So, yet another apparent headline-grabbing pronouncement of Pres Trump trying to reduce the Trump super-deficit [a.k.a., billionaire tax-reductions] may have longer-term implications that his transactional headline approach may show?

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-09-30 09:32 PM | Reply

"Trump believes companies use H-1B visas to cut costs, but the reality is there aren't enough qualified American tech workers to fill all roles, according to Gold."

This is a bunch of bunk, just like they're only doing jobs Americans don't want to do.

#3 | Posted by sentinel at 2025-10-01 09:36 AM | Reply

Companies use H-1B visas to cut costs. It's the business model for Infosys, Tata Consultancy, Cognizant, etc. Of the 4 skill levels for an H-1B, they file at the lowest level, and create a class of employee who's legal status is tied to their employer which reduces turnover and wage competition.

This has been pointed out by Bernie Sanders repeatedly.

#4 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-10-01 11:35 AM | Reply

On the actual category 4 talent, those guys are getting paid $350k a year starting, plus options, benefits, signing bonuses, etc. or more.

#5 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2025-10-01 11:42 AM | Reply