Trump Proposes $103,000 H-1B Visa Fee Via Regulatory Route After Court Blocks Earlier Attempt

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 24, 2026

The Trump administration has proposed a ~$103,000 per-applicant fee on H-1B visa sponsorships through a new regulatory process, after a federal court in Massachusetts struck down its earlier $100,000 fee in June as an unauthorized tax requiring Congressional approval. The proposed rule would apply broadly to nearly all new H-1B applicants — not just those outside the U.S. — and could generate an estimated $8.8 billion to fund immigration enforcement. Critics, including major immigration attorneys, warn the fee would effectively shut down the H-1B pipeline for IT, medical, and finance talent, while international student enrollment is already down ~10% amid broader immigration restrictions. Staffing and professional employer organizations sponsoring large H-1B cohorts face potentially enormous cost exposure — $10.3 million in filing fees alone for every 100 hires.