US President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order introducing a $100,000 fee for applicants to the H-1B visa programme, which brings skilled foreign workers into American industries.
The directive, expected to be announced soon, will cite what the administration describes as “abuse” of the programme and will make entry conditional on payment. The order will also initiate a review of wage requirements for visa holders.
The H-1B scheme, capped at 85,000 applications annually since 2004, is widely used by technology firms. Data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services shows that applications for the 2026 fiscal year dropped to about 359,000, the lowest in four years. Amazon, Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google were the biggest beneficiaries of the programme in the last fiscal year.
Currently, visa costs include a $215 registration fee, a $780 form filing fee for larger employers, and a $500 fraud prevention fee. Employers often spend tens of thousands of dollars per year on visas.
Supporters of the H-1B system, such as Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, argue that it enables the US to draw top global talent. Critics say it reduces opportunities for American workers.
Trump’s stance on the programme has shifted over time. In January, he told reporters that he understood both sides of the debate, calling H-1Bs a “great” programme but also considering tighter restrictions. On the campaign trail last year, he even promised to make it easier for US-educated graduates to secure green cards, telling the All-In Podcast that American companies must be able to recruit and retain skilled people.
