Washington — In a thunderous policy shift that has rattled the American technology industry and foreign governments alike, President Donald Trump has imposed a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, effectively transforming the United States’ most relied-upon skilled worker visa into a high-stakes privilege. The proclamation, unveiled on September 20, 2025, applies to new petitions for foreign nationals outside the country and has set off waves of uncertainty for millions of engineers, students, and corporate leaders across the globe.
The executive order, formally titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” is being sold by the White House as a necessary step to safeguard American jobs. But immigration advocates warn it is less about economics and more about exclusion, a continuation of the Trump immigration policy backlash that has dominated the administration’s second term. While officials stress that renewals and the 2025 lottery selections are exempt, the proclamation has left companies scrambling to determine which employees are affected and how to adapt to the sudden financial barrier.
Big tech in panic mode
Within hours of the announcement, Microsoft, Amazon, and JPMorgan circulated memos urging foreign workers not to travel abroad. Companies already battered by scrutiny—whether over Microsoft’s alleged role in Gaza surveillance or Google’s military AI ties—are now contending with a new front: a throttled talent pipeline that imperils their global operations. Business Insider reported that the administration later clarified the fee targets only fresh applicants outside U.S. borders, but the damage to confidence has already been done.
Indian IT firms, responsible for more than 70 percent of H-1B visas, are staring at existential costs. Nasscom, India’s trade body, warned that the changes could disrupt offshore operations and fracture families already separated by work placements abroad, as noted by Reuters. Airline tickets out of New Delhi and Bengaluru spiked overnight as workers rushed to the United States before the fee came into force.
Legal wrangling and political theatre
The legality of a president unilaterally slapping a six-figure surcharge on a visa category is being questioned. Legal scholars argue that Congress controls fee structures, and lawsuits are expected in the coming weeks. The Washington Post explained that confusion initially reigned over whether the fee was annual or one-time, with White House aides later conceding it was a single upfront charge. Critics called the rollout chaotic and emblematic of a government prioritizing optics over clarity.
The timing, critics say, is no coincidence. Immigration has been a central plank of Trump’s re-election campaign, alongside high-profile moves like the birthright citizenship legal defeat and the administration’s efforts to tighten student visa rules. By slapping a price tag on skilled migration, Trump has once again transformed immigration into an electoral weapon while signaling to his base that “cheap foreign labor” will no longer threaten U.S. wages.
Global ripples
India’s Ministry of External Affairs warned of humanitarian fallout, citing families separated and careers derailed. The fee is also expected to accelerate reverse brain-drain trends, with skilled workers choosing to remain in emerging hubs across Asia and the Middle East. For nations aligned with the BRICS de-dollarization agenda, the policy becomes another signal that U.S. dominance in talent acquisition is waning. China, meanwhile, has doubled down on blockchain and AI investments, betting on the opportunity created by America’s closed door.
Domestically, the policy pits Silicon Valley against Washington. While companies plead for exemptions to protect their international research centers, lawmakers aligned with the Republican Party double down on nationalist rhetoric. At the same time, civil society organizations point to the US student visa crackdown as evidence that this is part of a coordinated assault on mobility and multiculturalism.
A fragile future
America’s innovation engine has long relied on foreign scientists, engineers, and coders who chose Silicon Valley over Shanghai or Bengaluru. By pricing them out, Trump risks ceding leadership in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and clean energy. AP News highlighted that the measure could create unprecedented uncertainty in universities and research labs that depend on global expertise.
Whether the courts strike down the proclamation or it survives intact, the damage to perception is already palpable. To the world, the United States no longer looks like a beacon of meritocracy but a fortress that taxes ambition. And to those who once believed the H-1B was a golden ticket, it now feels more like a lottery with a punishing entry fee.
