Trump Extends $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Push for Another Year

Washington-  US President Donald Trump has extended his administration’s move to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B non-immigrant visas for another year, the White House said on Friday.

The decision keeps the controversial visa fee proposal in place as legal challenges against the policy continue in US courts. Trump had initially introduced the higher fee through an executive order in September 2025, with the measure originally scheduled to expire this month.

The H-1B programme allows US employers to recruit skilled foreign professionals for temporary employment in the country. The programme is particularly important for technology companies that depend on specialised talent from countries including India and China.

Under the existing system, employers generally pay fees ranging from around $2,000 to $5,000, while the Trump administration has pushed for a major increase to at least $100,000.

The extended policy remains subject to ongoing court proceedings. A federal judge in June ruled that the higher fee imposed by the administration was illegal and blocked the government from collecting it.

The decision is now being reviewed by a Boston-based appeals court. Separately, another court is considering a challenge involving the US Chamber of Commerce, which has opposed the higher fee.

The legal disputes have created uncertainty for businesses that rely on the H-1B programme to recruit specialised workers.

The administration has argued for tighter controls on the programme, amid concerns that some companies use H-1B visas to employ foreign workers at lower costs instead of hiring American workers.

Business groups and companies, however, maintain that the programme is essential for accessing highly skilled professionals and addressing shortages in specialised fields.

The H-1B visa programme was established by the US Congress in 1990 and has become particularly significant for the American technology sector.

The earlier executive order did not apply to certain foreign nationals already in the US on student visas, who account for a significant share of new H-1B recipients. It also excluded renewals of existing H-1B visas.

Changes to H-1B processing and scrutiny have already affected hiring and expansion decisions among companies. Some major users of the programme, including Alphabet, Googl