President Donald Trump has officially renewed a $100,000 fee requirement for certain H-1B visa applications following a White House fact sheet and a presidential proclamation. Initially introduced on September 19, 2025, the charge targets specific applicants while exempting certain groups, though duration specifics and comprehensive exemptions were not detailed in the announcement. The administration emphasized that continued measures are essential to safeguard and prioritize the domestic American workforce.
Stricter Oversight on Sponsoring Employers and Layoffs:
Under a new executive order, federal agencies must factor in recent and planned workforce reductions when evaluating skilled-worker visa applications. The directive instructs the secretaries of state, labor, and homeland security to assess whether petitioning employers have directly or indirectly carried out layoffs or planned future cuts affecting similarly situated U.S. workers over the preceding year. Furthermore, the order establishes a strict 30-day timeline for the labor secretary, via the Wage and Hour Division, to initiate a comprehensive review of data from past labor condition applications to determine if regulatory action is warranted against sponsors.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Program Reforms:
To bolster program integrity, the Departments of State, Labor, and Homeland Security are mandated to consult closely with the Departments of Commerce and Education, as well as the Small Business Administration. These entities will provide vital economic, industrial, wage, and academic data to verify compliance with statutory obligations. The White House noted that these policy updates build upon previous adjustments such as a wage-weighted selection system implemented in fiscal year 2027 which contributed to a significant drop in registrations from major IT outsourcing firms and a sharp overall decline in consular processing requests.
