11:17 - 25.08.2026

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August 25, Fineko/abc.az. After US President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applicants from abroad faced legal hurdles, the administration moved to close legal loopholes by drafting an official rule through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The new proposal covers all quota-subject applications, including non-citizens currently in the US, recent university graduates, and individuals applying for a change of status.

Targeting technology- and engineering-focused H-1B applications under the annual 85,000 quota, the draft rule exempts universities, hospitals, and non-profit research institutions from the additional fee. DHS intends to use the collected revenue to offset immigration enforcement costs across USCIS, CBP, Immigration Courts (EOIR), the Department of State, and the Department of Labor.

Expected to generate roughly $8.8 billion annually, the fee proposal is projected to push the financial burden on technology giants and consulting firms to record levels.