- Trump signs executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on all new H-1B visa applicants.
- Order cites “abuse” of the programme and forces companies to decide between hiring Americans or paying the new fee.
- Introduces a separate “gold card” fast-track visa costing at least £1m.
- Change takes effect September 21, impacting new applications only, but fees must be paid annually for six years.
- Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Apple, Tata among the biggest beneficiaries of H-1B visas.
- Amazon urges employees abroad to return to the U.S. before deadline or risk being locked out.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order that will dramatically raise costs for companies relying on foreign talent. Starting September 21, new applicants to the H-1B visa programme—the system that allows highly skilled foreign workers to enter the U.S.—will face an eye-watering $100,000 annual fee, a staggering increase from the current administrative charges of around $1,500.
The order, which the White House says is designed to tackle “abuse” of the programme, effectively forces companies to weigh whether a worker is worth an additional $600,000 over a six-year period. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick bluntly stated that firms must now decide whether to pay or “hire an American instead.”
Alongside the crackdown, Trump also unveiled a new “gold card” visa, a fast-track pathway for wealthy immigrants willing to pay fees starting at £1 million.
The move is already sending shockwaves through the tech industry. For years, the H-1B programme—capped at 85,000 visas annually—has been dominated by companies such as Amazon, Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google, who rely heavily on international hires to meet skill shortages.
According to government figures, Amazon was the largest recipient of H-1B visas in the past fiscal year. In response to the order, the company issued an internal advisory urging employees on H-1B visas who are already in the U.S. to remain there, while those abroad were told to try to return before the deadline. Anyone unable to make it back in time was warned against attempting re-entry until further notice.
Supporters of the visa hike argue it will protect American workers from being undercut, while critics—including billionaire Elon Musk—insist that the policy risks choking innovation by driving away top international talent.
With applications already at a four-year low of 359,000, Trump’s order is likely to intensify uncertainty for foreign workers and the companies that depend on them.
