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High technology industry

Trump Orders $100,000 Fee for H-1B Visas, Creates $1 Million "Gold Card" Residency Program

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

US President Donald Trump has announced the introduction of a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B skilled worker visas, alongside a new $1 million "gold card" residency program, potentially impacting the tech industry heavily reliant on these permits. The move, which could face legal challenges, aims to increase revenue from foreign workers. Trump claimed the program will attract "great people" and generate revenue for the US government. The new fee will be implemented starting Sunday, with the Homeland Security secretary having the authority to exempt individuals, companies, or entire industries. The H-1B program allows foreign workers with specialized skills to work in the US, initially for three years, extendable to six years.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US President Donald Trump has ordered a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B skilled worker visas, which could potentially face legal challenges.
  • The new measure was announced alongside the introduction of a $1 million "gold card" residency program, which Trump had previewed months earlier.
  • The H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills, such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers.
  • The US awards 85,000 H-1B visas per year on a lottery system, with India accounting for around three-quarters of the recipients.
  • Large technology firms rely heavily on Indian workers who either relocate to the US or come and go between the two countries.
  • Tech entrepreneurs, including Trump's former ally Elon Musk, have warned against targeting H-1B visas, citing a lack of domestic talent to fill important tech sector job vacancies.
  • The new fee will be required for those seeking to enter the country beginning Sunday, with the Homeland Security secretary able to exempt individuals, entire companies, or entire industries.
  • The number of H-1B visa applications has risen sharply in recent years, with a peak in approvals in 2022 under Democratic president Joe Biden.
  • In contrast, the peak in rejections was recorded in 2018, during Trump's first term in the White House.

Statistics:

  • 85,000 H-1B visas are awarded per year on a lottery system.
  • India accounts for around three-quarters of the H-1B visa recipients.
  • Approximately 400,000 H-1B visas were approved in 2024, with two-thirds being renewals.
  • The US approved around 300,000 H-1B visas in 2022.
  • The number of H-1B visa rejections peaked at 50,000 in 2018, during Trump's first term in the White House.

Sources:

  • BSS (Bangladesh Official News Agency)
  • The White House (Trump Administration)

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