The Trump administration has proposed a $103,265 fee for employers hiring foreign workers through the H-1B skilled-worker visa program, saying the measure would help cover the costs of administering the legal immigration system.
The proposal follows legal challenges to an earlier $100,000 H-1B fee introduced in 2025, which a federal judge blocked in June.
The administration also acknowledged that the higher cost could discourage US employers from hiring H-1B workers instead of qualified American workers.
The US currently issues 85,000 H-1B visas annually, with workers from India accounting for 70% of approved visas in fiscal year 2025, followed by China and the Philippines.
Critics warn that the proposed fee could worsen labor shortages in critical sectors such as information technology, engineering, education and medicine.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 25, 2026
