Trump Extends $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Order for Another Year

US employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government's H-1B visa program for a fee, allowing technology and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years. Trump, who has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, has criticized the program and wants to permanently raise the fee from between $2,000 and $5,000 to at least $100,000.

The administration's attempt to impose the higher fee has faced legal challenges. A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing a June decision by a federal judge who deemed the higher fee imposed by the Trump administration illegal and blocked the government from collecting it. Another court is considering whether a judge properly rejected a challenge to the fee by the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest US business lobbying group.

Trump's initial order for the fee hike, first released in September 2025, was set to expire this month. The order did not apply to visas granted to foreign citizens already in the United States on student visas, who make up a large share of new H-1B recipients. It also did not apply to renewals of current visas.

The H-1B program has faced criticism from some quarters over claims that certain companies use the visas to hire lower-paid foreign workers instead of Americans. Business groups and companies, however, say the program helps recruit highly skilled professionals and addresses a lack of qualified US workers in some industries.

The visas were established by Congress in 1990 and are especially critical for technology companies seeking to recruit professionals from India and China.

Changes to how potential visa holders are scrutinized and processed have already affected companies' hiring and expansion plans. Some major H-1B users, including Google parent company Alphabet, have moved to increase operations in India.

The one-year extension keeps the $100,000 H-1B visa fee order in effect while courts continue to consider challenges to the administration's policy, leaving the future of the higher fee tied to ongoing legal proceedings.