Overview

• The administration’s new $100,000 charge applies to new H‑1B petitions only, following clarifications issued after early confusion.
• Before that clarification, some companies ordered H‑1B employees who were abroad to return to the United States immediately.
• Economists warn the fee will sharply reduce use of H‑1B visas, slow productivity growth, and weigh on hiring in sectors that rely on specialized talent.
• The impact reaches beyond tech into Wall Street and research institutions, with immigration data identifying Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Bloomberg, McKinsey, major universities, and medical centers as heavy users.
• The White House defends the approach as prioritizing U.S. workers, with senior officials saying the policy aims to reduce reliance on foreign labor.