President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation imposing an annual $100,000 fee for each H-1B application or renewal, a measure the White House says is intended to curb misuse of the programme and encourage employers to hire domestically.
The move forms part of a wider overhaul that also includes a new residency route for wealthy applicants branded the “Gold Card”. The proclamation was signed on 19 September 2025 and takes effect from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on 21 September.
The H-1B programme allows U.S. employers to engage foreign professionals in speciality occupations, and is heavily used in sectors such as technology and finance. The new fee—far above existing filing charges—applies per worker and per year for the duration of H-1B status. Reports indicate the change is immediate for new petitions and for entries to the United States after the effective date.
The administration argues the price rise will reduce reliance on lower-cost foreign labour and address perceived abuses of the system, asserting that some employers have used H-1B hiring to replace rather than complement American workers. The White House framed the measure as a national security and economic policy step intended to “impose higher costs” on companies seeking to use H-1B workers.
Industry reaction has been immediate. Major firms that employ significant numbers of H-1B staff advised affected employees to avoid international travel or to return to the United States before the new rule takes effect, citing uncertainty over re-entry if the fee has not been paid. Technology and financial services companies are assessing operational impacts and potential additional cost exposure over multi-year sponsorship periods.
The H-1B programme currently has an annual numerical limit of 85,000 visas (65,000 under the regular cap and 20,000 for advanced degree holders). Legal specialists and policy analysts say the fee could sharply reduce filings below the cap and will likely face court challenges, given Congress’s role in setting immigration fees and policy.
Alongside the H-1B move, the administration has advanced a two-tier residency initiative targeted at high-net-worth individuals. The “Gold Card” would offer U.S. permanent residency—reporting variously describes this as a pathway to a green card and eventual citizenship—in exchange for a substantial payment. In June the White House promoted a website to join a waitlist, and officials have described a “Gold Card” at $1 million and a higher-tier “Platinum Card” at $5 million that would allow extended stays with limited U.S. tax exposure on foreign income. Earlier coverage had referred to a $5 million “Gold Card”.
Public presentation of the concept dates to the spring: on 4 April 2025 the initiative was showcased, including branded imagery, with subsequent outreach emphasising revenue generation and a streamlined route for affluent applicants.
Officials close to the policy, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, have said the fee increase on H-1B and the paid residency tracks are designed to shift incentives: discouraging routine use of temporary skilled visas while attracting capital from wealthy foreigners. They have also outlined revenue projections running into the hundreds of billions of dollars if uptake is strong. Analysts note, however, that comparable “golden visa” schemes in Europe have been scaled back or closed over concerns about money-laundering and security risks.
Universities, research institutions and technology firms are assessing how the H-1B fee could affect recruitment and retention of specialists in science and engineering. Business groups warn that sharp cost increases may prompt companies to relocate roles offshore to access talent, or to reclassify work to avoid sponsorship where possible. Immigration lawyers also point to practical questions on implementation, including how the annual payment will interact with existing filing cycles and whether partial-year employment will be treated proportionally.
Legal challenges are expected. Critics argue that such a substantial charge, imposed by proclamation rather than legislation or formal rule-making, stretches executive authority and could be enjoined by federal courts. In the short term, employers are focusing on compliance steps ahead of the effective date and on communication with sponsored staff who may be travelling internationally in the coming days.
The confluence of a steep H-1B fee with a high-value residency pathway marks a significant policy shift: constraining a long-standing skilled-worker route while opening a premium track tied to wealth. How courts, employers and potential applicants respond over the coming weeks will determine the immediate impact on U.S. labour markets and on the wider immigration system.
