United States President Donald Trump has approved a sweeping executive order that will dramatically raise the cost for companies hiring foreign talent under the H-1B visa programme.
According to a report by the BBC on Saturday, the new directive introduces a $100,000 annual fee on every H-1B visa application, effective September 21, 2025.
The fee will be payable each year for up to six years, significantly increasing costs for businesses dependent on skilled immigrant labour.
“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 visa programme, capped at 85,000 visas annually, has long been vital to U.S. tech firms and startups looking to fill specialised roles.
Previously, companies were charged around $1,500 in fees, making the latest move a sharp departure from existing policy.
Critics warn the policy could harm U.S. competitiveness. Immigration attorney Tahmina Watson said: “This $100,000 as an entry point is going to have a devastating impact.
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Almost everyone’s going to be priced out. Many small or medium-sized companies simply can’t find qualified Americans to do the job.”
The order also introduces a new “gold card” pathway, allowing wealthy individuals to fast-track U.S. immigration by paying fees starting at £1 million.
This comes on the heels of a series of controversial immigration measures by the Trump administration.
In recent months, the U.S. rolled out a pilot scheme requiring up to $15,000 bonds for certain tourist and business visas, and in June, announced a travel ban affecting 12 countries.
Analysts say the latest policy could spark global concern, particularly among countries that supply large numbers of skilled workers to the U.S. technology sector.