Trump’s $100K H-1B Visa Fee: Big Tech’s New Black Card
On September 20th, just in time to ruin every expatriate coder’s weekend, President Donald Trump signed an executive order slapping a $100,000 application fee on new H-1B visas starting September 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET – so precise, even Big Tech’s Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple H-1B contractors received frantic memos to avoid leaving the country like it was an eviction day. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick muddled the waters, saying renewals might also get hit, while the executive order stays coy. This visa program greases the wheels for specialized workers (think bachelor’s degree holders with a knack for tech) to temporarily grace America’s workforce. About 30% of these foreign Einsteins pull less than $100K, and 10% break $200K, fueling industries like tech and manufacturing which comprise roughly 50% and second-place respectively in H-1B demands. Employers must pay at least local wage analogues, so this fee hike basically turns hiring skilled migrants into buying a Tesla for a toaster budget.
Share the Story
Trump just made applying for an H-1B visa cost $100K, because apparently tech workers are now expected to crowdfund their own entry fee, like PUBG skins for high-value foreign coders.
So Big Tech hired thousands of H-1B workers annually, but thanks to Trump's $100K fee, it’s like asking Python coders to pay rent on GitHub repos now.
When your startup's big idea is 'hire foreign talent' but the H-1B fee is now pricier than your office coffee machine, maybe it’s time to boot up 'Hire Locally.exe.'
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 9/20/2025 | Author: Lauren Edmonds
More Articles in US News
US Shutdown Hits 40 Days, Senators Finally Hustle Sunday AF
Thanksgiving Airlift Cancelled: Controllers Ditch Paychecks, Not Turkeys
Trump Fights Judge Over Food Stamps Like It’s WWE Finals
Zuccotti Park Gets Christmas Glow-Up—Bankers Cry Silent Tears
Texas Girl Dates Twin, Accidentally Skyrockets Standby Airport Drama
