Trumps New H-1B Visa Fee Reduces Your JAPA Chances

[justseyi]

 

A sudden proclamation from President Trump on Friday threw thousands of visa holders into disarray. The order—slapping a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas effective immediately—set off a frantic scramble, forcing employees to cancel vacations, reroute flights, and even explain to confused house sitters why plans had abruptly changed.

The H-1B program, designed for highly skilled, college-educated foreign workers, has long been a lifeline for US tech companies. Last year alone, nearly 400,000 visas were approved—most in computer-related roles—with 71% going to Indian workers and another 11.7% to Chinese nationals.

By signing the order, Trump raised the application fee from $215 to a staggering $100,000. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, standing beside him, described it as a simple choice for companies: either hire Americans or pay what amounts to a six-figure tax on each foreign hire.

The shock was immediate. Within hours, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google were urging their H-1B employees not to leave the country until the order’s details were clear. Those already overseas were told to rush back before Sunday’s deadline. Airlines saw the fallout firsthand—Reuters reported that one international flight from San Francisco was delayed for hours after several Indian passengers demanded to deplane.

By Saturday, the White House attempted damage control, clarifying that the fee was a one-time charge and would only apply to new applicants. But by then, confusion had spread. One employee told the BBC he had flown to India for a memorial service, only to spend more than $8,000 booking return flights in a desperate bid to reenter the US before the cutoff.

Even with the clarification, the move threatens to reverberate far beyond US airports. India’s government has already condemned the policy, warning that it risks straining trade ties and disrupting the lives of countless Indian families.

[justseyi]

What exactly is the H-1B visa program?
Introduced in 1990, the H-1B visa program is one of a series of US immigration initiatives created during the 20th century to address specific labor shortages. Others facilitated the employment of temporary farm workers from Mexico during World War II, sheepherders mainly from Spain in the 1950s, and nurses, many of whom came from the Philippines, in the 1990s. Today, employers can apply to bring in foreigners to fill temporary agricultural jobs under the H-2A program and workers for other kinds of temporary jobs, including seasonal work, under the H-2B program.

H-1B visas are used primarily by the tech industry, whose leaders say there is a dearth of professionals with science, math, and computer skills. “Computer-related” occupations accounted for about 65% of H-1B approvals in fiscal 2023. Applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree. The visas are temporary, lasting as long as six years, but can be extended indefinitely if a company has sponsored a worker’s employment-based green card application for permanent residency in the US.

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