H-1B Fee Hike and Travel Bans Pushing Foreign Doctors Away, Hospitals Warn

NewsData.io · United States · Oct 29, 2026

Trump administration immigration policies — including a proposed $100,000 H-1B fee increase, a travel ban covering 39 countries, and expanded visa vetting — are causing hospitals to pause or limit foreign physician recruitment. An American Hospital Association survey found 64% of H-1B-using hospitals had deferred or restricted hiring due to the fee proposal, even after a federal court blocked it. The U.S. already faces a projected shortage of 141,160 physicians by 2038, with foreign-educated doctors disproportionately filling gaps in underserved and high-poverty areas. Healthcare staffing firms and recruiters placing international medical graduates face significant pipeline disruption and compliance uncertainty as the administration continues pursuing revised fee structures.