America proposes new US$103,265 H-1B visa fee, expanding charge beyond new arrivals

The extra upfront cost of hiring skilled foreign workers could make it far less attractive to sponsor Chinese and Indian professionals

The US Department of Homeland Security proposed the additional fee on Monday for every H-1B petition subject to the annual numerical cap of 85,000 visas. That figure includes the 20,000 visas reserved for people holding US master’s degrees or higher. Employers would pay the new charge when filing a petition, on top of existing fees.

Universities and certain non-profit or government research organisations would be exempt.

The new measure would also go further than an earlier one. A US$100,000 fee imposed by presidential proclamation in September 2025 mainly targeted new H-1B arrivals from overseas.

The US$103,265 charge would apply more broadly, including to cap-subject petitions filed for people already in the US seeking a change of status.

That means the new policy could have an impact on many international students working in the US under Optional Practical Training.