NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has extended by another year a measure requiring a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B visa applications, the White House said.
Trump, who has intensified his immigration crackdown, has repeatedly criticised the H-1B programme and pushed to make the $100,000 fee permanent. The existing fee ranges from $2,000 to $5,000. The move has also faced legal challenges.
“The restrictions enacted by the 2025 Proclamation have proven to be highly effective but the underlying conditions necessitating the restrictions persist. It is therefore in the interests of the United States to extend the 2025 Proclamation for an additional 12 months, until 12:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2027.Under the renewed measure, employers sponsoring certain H-1B workers who are outside the United States must make the $100,000 payment before filing the relevant petition, unless an exemption applies,” the proclamation said.
The policy is particularly significant for Indian professionals. US Citizenship and Immigration Services data show that 71% of approved H-1B petitions in fiscal 2024 involved beneficiaries born in India, compared with 11.7% born in China.
The H-1B programme, created by Congress in 1990, allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign professionals in specialised occupations. It is widely used by technology companies and has become an important channel for recruiting workers from India and China.
The extension comes amid continuing legal challenges. A federal judge blocked the $100,000 requirement in June 2026, ruling that the administration lacked authority to impose the payment, according to Reuters. The government is appealing the decision, while separate litigation involving the US Chamber of Commerce is also continuing.
Business groups have argued that H-1B visas help companies fill specialised roles where qualified US workers are not readily available. Critics, including the Trump administration, contend that some employers use the programme to suppress wages or displace American workers.
The administration said more than 700 petitions had made the $100,000 payment since the restriction took effect in September 2025.