Trump Administration Proposes $103,000 Fee for H-1B Visas

The Trump administration announced on August 24, 2026, a new proposal to impose a $103,265 fee on H-1B visa applications for foreign professionals seeking work in the United States. The proposal aims to recover immigration system costs and encourage companies to hire American workers by raising the visa fee.

The proposed fee is significantly higher than the previous fee of about $3,000 and follows a legal setback in June 2026, when a federal judge invalidated an earlier Trump administration attempt to impose a $100,000 fee. The judge ruled that the president lacked authority to levy such a fee, which was considered a tax requiring congressional approval.

The H-1B visa program allows foreign professionals with at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent to work in specialized professions in the U.S. These visas are valid for three years and can be renewed for another three. The program caps annual visas at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 reserved for individuals holding advanced degrees from American universities.

Vice President JD Vance supported the new fee proposal, stating on social media, "If an American corporation needs workers, it should hire and train Americans." This reflects the administration’s stance that the H-1B program is overused and limits opportunities for American workers.

Unlike the previous attempt, which targeted only foreign workers outside the U.S., the new regulatory proposal would apply broadly to almost all new H-1B visa applicants. The regulation is not yet final and will undergo a public comment period of 30 days before potentially becoming official.