The US introduces a $100,000 fee for new visas for migrants in the IT sector

Starting Sunday, the United States will introduce a one-time fee of $100,000 for new applications for H-1B visas for migrants working in the IT sector.

The White House has assured that this will not apply to existing visa holders returning to the country or to visa renewals. The measure only affects new applications from companies to bring in skilled workers from abroad.

Although Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had originally suggested that the fee would be charged annually, the White House has corrected this interpretation. Meanwhile, companies such as Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon have asked their employees not to travel for fear of uncertainty.

President Donald Trump signed the measure with the aim of “protecting American workers” and preventing abuse of the system by cheap foreign labor. Exemptions from the $100,000 fee are only possible in the “public interest.”

(reuters, sab)