Overview

• The proclamation takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21 and directs Homeland Security to limit decisions for 12 months on petitions from abroad that are not accompanied by the $100,000 payment.
• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the charge will apply to new petitions and renewals and predicted far fewer H‑1B entries because many cases will no longer be economical for employers.
• Indian nationals receive about 71% of H‑1B approvals, and major users such as Amazon, TCS, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google face steep new costs, with one analysis estimating TCS alone could incur over $500 million in added fees.
• The White House also announced paid fast‑track options, including a $1 million “Gold Card” for individuals or $2 million via corporate sponsorship, and a proposed $5 million “Platinum Card” allowing up to 270 days in the U.S. without U.S. tax on non‑U.S. income, which officials said would require congressional approval.
• India’s foreign ministry expressed concern over humanitarian impacts, immigration attorneys warned of travelers being stranded, and business groups and legal experts signaled likely court challenges to the president’s authority to set such fees by proclamation.