Trump raises H-1B visa fees to $100,000, introduces $1 million gold card
Multiple White House officials revealed that the H-1B visa program will undergo major changes, with the Trump administration introducing a $100,000 fee.
Tech companies such as Amazon and Google frequently use H-1B visas to recruit foreign talent to the United States. Each year, 85,000 H-1B visas are available through a lottery, three-quarters of which are awarded to Indians.
The Wall Street Journal analyzed that the $100,000 application fee is the latest move by the Trump administration to crack down on the H-1B visa system. Many tech companies use the H-1B program to hire foreign workers, avoiding hiring Americans.
The report noted that details of the executive order remain unclear, including how the new fee will be collected and who will apply. Under current regulations, H-1B applicants must pay a small fee to enter the lottery. Only if they are selected in the lottery do they pay a larger fee and undergo a background check.
Central News Agency, citing AFP, reported that the new H-1B visa fee system targets high-tech workers. Officials said the fee for this type of visa will be significantly increased from less than $1,000 currently to $100,000. Bloomberg News first reported the news.
Tesla, Amazon, and Alphabet’s Google are the largest users of H-1B work visas. The majority of foreign workers employed by these tech companies are from India and work in software development, computing, and engineering roles.
The Wall Street Journal analyzed whether Trump’s proposed $100,000 application fee for H-1B work visas would face legal challenges. Typically, additional visa fees are set by Congress or through formal regulations, following a policy process that includes public announcements and several months of public comment.
Separately, on the 19th, Trump officially announced the price of the Trump Gold Card, which allows for expedited citizenship: $1 million for individuals and $2 million for businesses.
Trump said he expects the Trump Gold Card to quickly raise over $100 billion in revenue. After taking office this year, Trump proposed the concept of a gold card visa, allowing foreigners to obtain residency permits for a substantial sum, originally estimated at $5 million.
The Trump Gold Card website currently states that there are two types of cards: Gold and Platinum. For the Gold card, applicants must donate $1 million to expedite US residency after paying a processing fee and passing a Department of Homeland Security review. For the Platinum card, applicants must donate $5 million, after paying a processing fee and passing a Department of Homeland Security review, allowing them to stay in the US for up to 270 days without paying tax on their non-US income.
Trump cabinet officials and his base have differing views on the H-1B work visa. Supporters of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement say the H-1B program allows foreign workers, primarily Indians, to steal high-paying jobs in technology and engineering that previously belonged to American workers. However, more pro-business Republican officials, such as David Sacks, the White House “AI Czar,” argue that the H-1B program significantly impacts businesses in attracting the world’s top talent.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, one of the most vocal supporters of the H-1B program, left the Trump administration this spring. Immigration officials, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow, have expressed skepticism about the program. After Edlow took office, USCIS drafted new rules to reserve H-1B visas for higher-paying positions, but officials familiar with the matter said the new rules were subsequently blocked by the White House.
