In his election campaigns President Trump drew a distinct line between ‘illegal’ immigrants and ‘legal’ immigrants, trying to contrast who should be able to stay in the United States. 

But since President Trump has taken office for the second time, his administration has made it harder and harder for legal immigrants to enter and/or stay here. 

This is seen most recently in the Trump administration announcement about H-1B visas. 

Under this new White House proclamation, companies would have to pay the government $100,000 each year for every H-1B employee they hire — and they’d pay it for up to three years. The sector that uses the most H-1B visas is the tech industry. According to the latest statistics, the average annual wage for an employee in tech is about $106,000. Meaning, hiring just one H-1B worker would cost a company at least double what they make. 

Trump’s proclamation stated that in the last 25 years the number of foreign science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workers in the U.S. more than doubled, to nearly 2.5 million, even as overall STEM employment only increased 44.5% during that time. The Trump administration is explaining its proclamation as a way to increase employment of U.S. citizens in these sectors, but employers have long struggled to fill the employment gap with people already in the U.S.

What’s the H-1B Program?

The H-1B visa is a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa that lets U.S. companies hire highly-skilled workers from other countries — especially in tech, engineering, and science. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and smaller startups all rely on it to bring in talent.

Today, employers pay a few thousand dollars in government filing fees when sponsoring someone for an H-1B. That’s already a significant expense, but it’s nothing compared to what’s being proposed now.

What This Means for Employers and Workers

If the $100,00 fee goes through, the impact would be huge:

• Fewer visas – Smaller companies and startups likely couldn’t afford to hire H-1B workers at that price.

• Shifts overseas – Businesses may move jobs abroad rather than pay the fee.

• Uncertainty for workers – Many H-1B employees worry about their job security or whether they have to avoid international travel if new fees kick in while they’re outside the U.S.

• Talent drain – Other countries (like Canada and China) could benefit, attracting skilled workers who might otherwise have chosen the U.S.

This announcement sparked chaos in the tech industry, as employers like Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon urged their employees holding H-1B visas to remain in the United States, and to return quickly to the U.S. if they were outside its borders.

The Trump administration clarified that the $100,000 fee would only apply to new applicants for the visa. And in fact, the $100,000 fee proclamation is not law yet. It is currently a proposal, in its 30-day comment period, before it can progress to a changed policy. 

A $100,000 fee would transform the H-1B visa from a standard work permit into one of the most expensive visas in the world. While it’s being pitched as a way to protect American jobs, it could also limit innovation, push companies overseas, and discourage skilled talent from choosing the U.S. If this moves forward it will reshape how America competes for global talent.

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