Article Summary

Walmart, a top H-1B sponsor, is pausing job offers to foreign workers requiring H-1B visas in response to President Trump's announced fee increase to $100,000 per petition. This new guidance, significantly higher than previous costs, primarily impacts new applicants living outside the U.S. and is part of broader anti-immigration policies. Walmart, which sponsored nearly 3,000 H-1B visas in 2024, stated it remains committed to hiring talent while being thoughtful about its H-1B approach.

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This fee hike represents an unprecedented financial barrier for employers seeking to sponsor H-1B visas, potentially leading other large companies to follow Walmart's lead in reducing or pausing H-1B hiring. For skilled professionals, this makes securing U.S. employment via H-1B significantly more challenging, narrowing pathways for international talent.

Historically, H-1B visa fees ranged from $2,000 to $5,000, covering administrative costs and specific surcharges; the proposed $100,000 fee marks a drastic, 20-50 fold increase, fundamentally altering the economic feasibility of H-1B sponsorship for most businesses.

This policy is highly likely to face immediate legal challenges, as its legality and economic justification could be questioned by industry groups and immigration advocates. If upheld, it could accelerate the trend of companies shifting talent acquisition to countries with more favorable skilled worker immigration policies, impacting the U.S.'s global competitiveness in key sectors.

While other major English-speaking countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia have varying visa fees and employer sponsorship costs, none approach this proposed magnitude, making the U.S. an outlier in its cost structure for skilled worker visas and potentially incentivizing skilled professionals to consider these alternative destinations.