A new fee of $100,000 for H-1B visas in the United States is set to take effect this Sunday. This one-time charge will apply to new visa petitions but will not affect those who already hold valid H-1B visas when they re-enter the country. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt clarified that current visa holders outside the U.S. will not have to pay the fee to return.
Leavitt emphasized on social media that this fee is not an annual cost but a one-time payment for each petition. The fee is expected to be imposed during the next H-1B lottery round, which is a process that determines which applicants will receive visas.
The announcement has caused concern among employees in various companies, including major firms like Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon. Internal communications from these companies advised H-1B visa holders to stay in the U.S. to avoid potential complications. Goldman Sachs also warned its employees to be cautious about international travel.
The White House stated that the fee aims to create a fairer job market for American workers, who they claim are being replaced by lower-paid foreign workers. This move has raised alarms in the Indian tech industry, as many Indian companies rely on sending skilled professionals to the U.S.
In a fact sheet released on Saturday, the White House indicated that exemptions from the fee could be granted on a case-by-case basis if deemed in the national interest. The document also noted that the percentage of IT workers holding H-1B visas has significantly increased over the years, from 32% in fiscal year 2003 to over 65% in recent times.
The new policy also directs the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to work together on guidelines for enforcement and audits and instructs the Labor Secretary to revise wage levels for H-1B workers, focusing on high-skilled and high-paid positions.
The announcement has prompted many H-1B visa holders to rush back to the U.S., fearing they might be subjected to the hefty fee if they travel abroad. This situation highlights the uncertainty and anxiety faced by foreign workers in the current climate.
