Starting this Sunday, U.S. companies must pay a one-time $100,000 fee for each H-1B visa petition, the White House confirmed.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt clarified on X that "this is NOT an annual fee. It's a one-time fee that applies only to the petition." But the tech sector is already on edge.
Internal emails from Microsoft, JPMorgan and Amazon reportedly advised employees holding H-1B visas to stay in the U.S. before the midnight deadline, according to Reuters and Politico.
The tech sector is bracing for a blow, given its reliance on global talent—especially professionals from India and the Chinese mainland—to fill specialized roles.
International concerns are mounting. India, which secured 71% of U.S. H-1B approvals last year, warned of "humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families," said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's Foreign Ministry.
Nasscom, representing India’s $283 billion IT and outsourcing industry, cautioned that abrupt changes could derail ongoing onshore projects and ripple across global operations.
In Seoul, South Korea’s foreign ministry announced it will assess impacts on local companies and workers eyeing the U.S. job market.
This move marks the Trump administration's most high-profile clampdown on temporary work visas. "If you're going to train somebody, you're going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land," said U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, underscoring a shift in U.S. immigration control.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
