Trump extends $100,000 H-1B fee for one more year

President Donald Trump has extended the $100,000 fee on certain H-1B visa applications by another year, until September 21, 2027. The White House said the 2025 proclamation had cut registrations from large IT outsourcing firms by 92% and shifted selection toward higher-skilled, higher-paid workers. The extension applies to workers outside the US seeking entry, with limited national-interest exceptions.

Trump also signed a separate executive order directing agencies to scrutinise H-1B applications from employers that have laid off American workers or plan future layoffs. The order alleges that technology employers sought hundreds of thousands of H-1B workers while laying off between 800,000 and 1.3 million US employees from 2022 through 2026. It does not automatically reject applications but requires consideration of layoffs.

The fee faces legal challenges. A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the government from collecting it in June, and the government has appealed. A Boston appeals court is reviewing that decision, while another court is considering a challenge by the US Chamber of Commerce. The fee does not apply to student visa holders or visa renewals.