USCIS Proposes $103K Fee for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 2, 2026

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $103,265 fee for all H-1B petitions subject to the annual cap, including those under the advanced degree exemption. USCIS says the fee is designed to recover costs across multiple federal agencies — including ICE, CBP, DOL, and the State Department — and could generate $8.8 billion annually based on 85,000 projected cap-subject filings. The fee would be payable at time of filing and stacked on top of existing H-1B fees, significantly raising the cost of hiring foreign skilled workers. The public comment period closes September 24, with over 5,300 comments already submitted.