Entry Ticket to America
US President Donald Trump shared a quirky plan to charge $100,000 for the H1B visa, mostly aimed at bright worker hopefuls from foreign lands. This change will happen via an order, causing quite a stir among leaders and big companies. Some fear it hurts US workers, but others say it helps the US nab the best global minds.
Order Straight from the Top
Word was out that President Trump would sign an order to make this new $100,000 fee real. The message would talk about stopping sneaky moves in the program. Getting in with the H1B deal was set to be off-limits if you didn’t pay up first.
Cheers and Jeers for the H1B Deal
Folks had griped that the H1B visa deal took chances from US workers. But big fans like Elon Musk said it let the US pull in super smart folks from all over. This split view had made for a never-ending chat about how it really hit jobs.
Peeking at Pay Rules
They also thought another order would check the lowest pay you could get under the plan. This was to look again at what H1B folks earned, making sure it did not mess up local jobs at home.
Limits and Costs Since Way Back
The H1B could only take 85,000 each year since 2004. Fees changed with company size, but you paid $215 to sign up, $780 to file papers, plus $500 to fight scams. Firms often coughed up big bucks each year for their worker’s visas.
H1B Visa Requests are Declining
Figures from US Citizenship and Immigration Services showed requests for 2026 fell to 359,000. This became a four-year low, hinting at strange shifts in business views on the H1B visa plans.
Key Program Winning Companies
Official stats showed Amazon was the biggest receiver of the H1B plan last year. Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google were other top firms. The BBC asked these companies for an official word on this choice.
Political Splits Over this Program
H1B visa talks earlier caused rifts in Trump’s leadership group. People such as ex-planner Steve Bannon spoke out against it. Trump showed strange views, seeing both backers and haters of the program.
Trump’s Old Words on H1B Visas
Back in January, Trump said he got both sides of the H1B talks. At times, he called the plan “great,” but hinted at limits. His change showed the stress of pulling talent and saving local work.
Pledges During the Election Period
During his campaign, Trump tried to get support from tech fields. He swore to ease talent hires and thought about giving green cards to grads. This stood out when he said firms must have many skilled people for success.
In closing.
The choice to tack on a $100,000 charge for those seeking skilled worker visas via the H1B plan mirrored Trump’s grander immigration game. Although some fussed it might choke the flow of brains into America, backers felt it vital to guard American jobs.
Fewer folks applying, big firms in the mix, and political clashes all showed how knotty the problem was. Trump’s wobbly view hinted at the trick of keeping money flowing while shielding the working class. The fate of the H1B visa deal stayed foggy as shops, law folks, and clever workers braced for the last go-ahead on the order.