Article Summary

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a clarification regarding a new $100,000 H-1B visa fee, originally announced for September 2025. This fee primarily targets employers hiring new foreign workers from abroad and does not apply to existing H-1B holders or those changing status within the U.S. Employers are responsible for paying the fee via pay.gov before petition submission, with full refunds issued if a petition is denied.

TNP AI: Key Insights

This clarification is vital for both U.S. employers and international professionals, particularly those outside the U.S., as it definitively outlines who pays the substantial $100,000 H-1B fee and who is exempt. For companies, this represents a significant increase in the cost of hiring new overseas talent, prompting a re-evaluation of global recruitment strategies.

The policy, slated for September 2025, could make the H-1B pathway more challenging for recent graduates and early-career professionals, as employers may prioritize highly skilled or senior roles to justify the considerable investment. This financial burden might also accelerate the trend of companies exploring talent acquisition in other major hubs like the UK, Canada, and Australia, where visa costs, while present, are typically not on this scale.

While providing immediate clarity on implementation, the long-term implications suggest potential shifts in the global talent market and could invite further scrutiny or legal challenges as the September 2025 date approaches, especially given the political context of its origin.