The US government has announced a new regulation that imposes an annual fee of $100,000 on companies for using H-1B visas. These visas are primarily used to recruit highly skilled professionals, especially from the technology sector, and affect numerous corporations such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, which received thousands of such permits in the first half of the year.
The measure was announced on Friday and aims to provide funds for immigration control measures. It is part of the broader strategy of the Trump administration, which has sought to restrict certain forms of legal immigration since taking office in January, with a focus on realigning the H-1B program. Proponents like Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick criticize the system for allowing companies to suppress wages and displace American workers, advocating instead for the training of young graduates from domestic universities. Other voices, including Elon Musk, emphasize the necessity of such visas to compensate for shortages of skilled talent and ensure the competitiveness of US companies.
Following the announcement, companies like Microsoft and JPMorgan have urged their H-1B employees to remain in the US until midnight Saturday or return immediately if they are abroad. The regulation follows a significant increase in foreign professionals in STEM fields, whose numbers more than doubled from 2000 to 2019, rising to around 2.5 million, while overall growth in these sectors was 44.5 percent. India benefits as the largest recipient, with a 71 percent share of H-1B allocations, as highlighted in a decree signed by President Trump on Friday.
The decision has elicited mixed reactions. Critics warn of burdens on talent-dependent industries, while supporters welcome it as a protective measure for domestic workers. Experts anticipate rising costs for companies, reduced hiring of foreign workers, and impacts on the global position of the US economy in technology and related fields, which could further fuel the debate on immigration and the labor market.
