The Trump administration has proposed making a $103,265 fee permanent for new H-1B visa applications, which are commonly used by U.S. employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers. The proposed cost is dramatically higher than the previous typical fees of roughly $2,000 to $5,000 and could particularly affect technology, education, and research employers that rely on international talent. Business groups and several states have challenged the policy, arguing that the administration may not have the legal authority to impose such a large fee. From a labor-relations perspective, the proposal could significantly affect employers' ability to recruit foreign workers and could reshape hiring practices in industries that depend heavily on H-1B employees.
See "Trump Administration moves to impose more than $100,000 fee for H-1B employees", Daniel Wiessner, Reuters, August 24, 2026