A surprise fee shocks workers
President Donald Trump’s newest immigration shake-up caught thousands of skilled workers and their employers off guard. On Friday, he announced a new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas—the permits that allow foreign professionals, mostly in tech, to work in the U.S.
Almost immediately, confusion spread. Was the fee annual? Did it apply to renewals? Could current visa holders be asked to pay before re-entering the country? The uncertainty was so great that by Saturday, the White House had to step in and explain what the president really meant.
Clearing the air
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took to social media to calm nerves. She clarified that the $100,000 fee applies only to new applicants. Current H-1B holders, including those traveling abroad, would not be forced to pay upon reentry.
“This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders,” Leavitt stressed. The rule, she added, will last for one year, starting Sunday, though it could be extended.
That clarification helped—but for many, the damage had already been done. Immigration attorneys said the rollout created “chaos,” with little notice and plenty of unanswered questions.
Mixed messages from officials
Part of the confusion came from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who stood beside Trump during the signing ceremony. Lutnick described the $100,000 as an annual fee, which sparked panic among workers and employers.
By Saturday, a White House official corrected him, saying it was a one-time fee—at least for now. But the same official added that policies on renewals were “under discussion,” leaving the door open for more changes later.
India voices concern
No group is watching this more closely than Indian workers. More than 70% of H-1B visas go to people from India, many of them employed by U.S. tech giants or consulting firms. India’s Ministry of External Affairs quickly issued a statement, warning that the move could create humanitarian problems by disrupting families and careers.
Indian officials said they were “studying” the plan and hoped Washington would address the disruptions it could cause.
A skyrocketing price tag
To put the new rule into perspective, H-1B visa fees were just $215 before Trump’s order. That means the cost is jumping nearly 500 times higher. For many companies, especially smaller ones, sponsoring workers suddenly looks impossible.
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Lutnick admitted that far fewer H-1B visas will likely be issued under the new system. “It’s just not economic anymore,” he said. In his view, companies should be training Americans to fill these jobs rather than hiring from abroad.
The golden and platinum visas
The H-1B fee wasn’t the only immigration headline Trump unveiled. He also introduced a $1 million “gold card” visa with a path to citizenship, aimed at wealthy individuals. On top of that, a $5 million “platinum card” would allow foreigners to spend most of the year in the U.S. without paying U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income.
Critics say these new visas would effectively replace existing employment-based visas that benefited professors, scientists, artists, and athletes. In short, the administration is swapping visas for skilled workers with visas for the wealthy.
Critics fire back
Reaction to the new policies was swift. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned of disruptions to businesses and families. Immigration attorney Kathleen Campbell Walker said the rollout was “chaotic.” And Doug Rand, who worked at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services under President Biden, called the move “ludicrously lawless.”
“This isn’t real policy,” Rand argued. “It’s fan service for immigration restrictionists. Trump gets his headlines and inflicts a jolt of panic and doesn’t care whether this survives first contact with the courts.”
The bigger picture
H-1B visas have long been controversial. Supporters say they allow companies to hire workers with unique skills, fueling innovation in fields like engineering and computer science. Critics argue that they undercut American wages, especially when consulting firms hire workers cheaply overseas and contract them out in the U.S.
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