Overview

• President Trump’s proclamation adds a one‑time $100,000 fee to new H‑1B petitions, and the White House says current holders and renewals are exempt, though lawyers say treatment of job changes and transfers is still unsettled.
• DHS has advanced a proposal to prioritize higher‑paid applicants in H‑1B selection, opening a public comment period of about a month that could reshape who wins scarce slots.
• The US Chamber of Commerce and industry representatives are preparing legal challenges, and California’s attorney general is reviewing options, arguing the abrupt fee creates uncertainty for businesses.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs says it remains engaged with Washington and is asking stakeholders to file comments, emphasizing the benefits of skilled talent mobility to both economies.
• Universities warn the new charge could add tens of millions of dollars to annual staffing costs and constrain research and clinical hiring, even as a discretionary national‑interest waiver could exempt some cases.