President Trump has signed an order imposing a $100k annual fee on H-1B visa applications, sparking fears of a tech talent exodus

United States President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on companies applying for H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers, according to a BBC report.

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The new policy, which takes effect on September 21, 2025, will apply to all new H-1B applications and must be paid yearly for up to six years. Previously, firms paid about $1,500 in processing fees.

“Companies need to decide is the person valuable enough to have a $100,000-a-year payment to the government, or should they head home and go hire an American?” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “All of the big companies are on board.”

The H-1B programme, capped at 85,000 visas annually, has been a key pathway for U.S. technology companies and startups to hire highly skilled foreign talent.

Critics argue that the dramatic fee increase will undermine U.S. competitiveness in the global economy.

“This $100,000 as an entry point is going to have a devastating impact,” said Tahmina Watson, a Seattle-based immigration attorney.

“Almost everyone’s going to be priced out. Many small or medium-sized companies simply can’t find qualified Americans to do the job.”

Industry leaders warn that the new cost burden could discourage startups and mid-sized firms from participating in the programme, leaving the talent pool dominated by large corporations.

The order also introduces a new “gold card” fast-track immigration system for high-net-worth individuals, requiring fees starting at £1 million.

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This move follows a string of recent U.S. immigration restrictions. Last month, a pilot scheme requiring bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas was rolled out, while in June, a travel ban targeting 12 countries was announced.