Trump Plans $100,000 Fee for H-1B Visas: Report

U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to impose a massive new $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, according to Bloomberg News. The move is part of his wider crackdown on immigration and could greatly impact technology companies that depend on foreign workers.

A White House official told Bloomberg that Trump may sign a proclamation soon, possibly as early as Friday. The plan would block entry under the H-1B program unless companies pay the new fee. The administration also intends to change the wage rules for H-1B jobs, making it harder for firms to hire foreign workers at lower pay levels.

The H-1B visa program is vital for U.S. tech and staffing companies. It allows skilled foreign professionals, often in technology roles like software engineers and IT managers, to work in the U.S. for three to six years.

Major corporations are among the biggest users of the program. In 2025 alone, Amazon secured more than 10,000 H-1B visas, while Microsoft and Meta (Facebook’s parent company) each had over 5,000 approvals.

The news has already shaken markets. Shares of IT services company Cognizant, which depends heavily on H-1B workers, dropped more than 5% on Friday.

Critics argue that companies use H-1B visas to save costs by paying lower wages, often at the expense of American workers. Supporters, however, say the visas are essential for filling specialized roles where the U.S. lacks enough talent.

India remains the biggest beneficiary of the program, accounting for 71% of all H-1B approvals last year. China was the second largest, with nearly 12%.

If the $100,000 fee is enforced, it could dramatically reduce the use of H-1B visas and reshape how global talent flows into the U.S. technology sector.