Article Summary

Three Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in opposing President Trump’s proposed $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee. They argue that this fee is prohibitively expensive for early-stage employers and small tech companies. The six lawmakers conveyed their concerns in a letter to President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

TNP AI: Key Insights

The proposed $100,000 annual H-1B fee represents an unprecedented cost increase, dwarfing current filing fees which typically range in the low thousands. For tech startups and small businesses, this astronomical cost would effectively block their ability to sponsor H-1B workers, thereby limiting access to critical skilled talent and potentially stifling innovation and growth in a globally competitive market.

This bipartisan opposition underscores the broad concern over policies that could severely disadvantage American businesses seeking to leverage international talent. If this proposal were to advance, it would almost certainly face immediate and significant legal challenges from industry associations and immigration advocacy groups, creating prolonged uncertainty for employers and visa holders alike regarding future H-1B program viability.