The Trump administration has moved to formalize a $103,265 fee for H-1B work visas, publishing a draft rule in the Federal Register that would make the charge permanent. The proposal, advanced by the Department of Homeland Security, opens a 30-day public comment period before finalization and could impose significant costs on technology companies that rely heavily on the program.
The effort follows President Donald Trump's September 2025 executive order imposing a $100,000 H-1B fee, which a federal judge declared illegal in June, barring the government from collecting it. The administration is now seeking to reinstate the charge through formal rulemaking rather than executive action.
The H-1B program offers 85,000 visas annually, including 20,000 reserved for workers with advanced degrees. Employer registrations fell to roughly 344,000 last year, down more than 25 percent from 2024. Separately, DHS has added fees of up to $4,500 for visa extensions and overseas employee transfers, and the administration is shortening permitted stays for international students and foreign journalists, with changes expected as soon as September.