Overview
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the fee is not annual and does not affect existing H‑1B holders or extensions, reversing confusion from earlier remarks by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
- Employers must pay the $100,000 charge for new petitions, and agencies began issuing guidance after tech and finance companies urged H‑1B staff to remain in or return to the U.S.
- USCIS echoed the clarification, and Business Insider reported the fee would first apply in the next H‑1B lottery cycle starting March 2026, though operational details still need formal confirmation.
- The move alarmed major users of H‑1B talent such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and JPMorgan, and raised diplomatic concerns in India, whose nationals account for roughly 70 percent of recipients.
- Trump also signed a separate 'Gold Card' residency initiative offering U.S. stay rights for a $1 million payment, further reshaping immigration policy alongside the H‑1B change.