Trump Administration Proposes $103,265 Fee for Skilled Worker Visas

The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed a $103,265 fee for H-1B visas, which are commonly used by American employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers.

The Department of Homeland Security said the proposed fee would serve as a revenue mechanism to recover the costs of administering the US immigration system.

The Trump administration has argued that the H-1B programme has been abused by companies to replace American workers rather than complement the domestic workforce. In September 2025, the administration introduced a separate $100,000 fee as part of efforts to address what it described as “systemic abuse” of the programme.

However, a federal judge later blocked that measure after 20 Democratic-led states challenged it, arguing that the fee amounted to an unlawful tax imposed without congressional approval. Another federal judge subsequently upheld the administration’s action, saying the president had broad statutory authority to address issues involving economic and national security. The ruling remains under appeal.

Under the new proposal, the administration says the additional $103,265 fee would help cover the costs of agencies including US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The proposal also acknowledges that the fee could discourage US employers from hiring foreign workers when qualified American candidates are available.

If approved, the new fee would be in addition to other applicable immigration charges. This means employers could potentially face both the proposed $103,265 payment and the earlier $100,000 fee if the latter survives legal challenges.

The H-1B programme was created by Congress in 1990, and the United States currently issues 85,000 H-1B visas annually.

Several prominent technology executives, including SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, have previously held H-1B visas.

Critics of the proposed fee warn that it could worsen shortages of skilled workers in important sectors such as medicine, engineering, science and technology.

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