Donald Trump administration proposes $103,265 H-1B petition fee

The Trump administration has proposed imposing an additional $103,265 fee on employers filing cap-subject H-1B petitions, a sweeping increase that could sharply raise the cost of recruiting skilled foreign workers, including professionals from India.

The Department of Homeland Security said the fee would apply to every cap-subject petition, including filings for workers eligible under the advanced degree exemption. Employers would pay it when filing the petition and in addition to all other applicable fees or payments.

The



proposal is not yet final. It is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, beginning a 30-day period for public comments.

DHS estimated that the fee would raise about $8.8 billion annually, based on a projected 85,000 cap-subject petitions each year.

“The proposed H-1B fee is intended to recover the costs incurred across the federal government to adjudicate, vet, and support lawful immigration programs that otherwise must be funded by taxpayers,” US Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said.