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The US extended its USD 100,000 H-1B visa payment requirement for another year. It is keeping the restriction in place until September 21, 2027. The extension affects certain foreign professionals seeking to enter the country under the H-1B program.
The White House restricted it in September 2025. The latest proclamation extends the measure for another 12 months. The payment applies to covered workers outside the US who seek entry after September 21, 2026.
Under the extended rule, employers sponsoring covered H-1B workers must include the USD 100,000 payment with the petition or provide it separately. The requirement applies to foreign workers in specialty occupations covered by the proclamation. The Homeland Security Secretary can grant exemptions in specific cases. The exemption can cover an individual worker, a company workforce, or an entire industry. Such cases must be considered important to US national interests and must not threaten US security or welfare.
The administration argued that some IT staffing and outsourcing companies used the H-1B program to hire lower-paid foreign workers. The White House also linked the policy to concerns about American workers and recent STEM graduates.
“As explained in the 2025 Proclamation, the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program was created to bring temporary workers in high-skilled functions into the United States, but it has been exploited to replace, not supplement, American workers with lower-paid labor.”
Indian professionals are particularly exposed to the policy. US government figures cited in the report show that Indian candidates accounted for nearly 70% of approved H-1B petitions in fiscal year 2025. China followed with 12.1%. The earlier cost cited in the report was USD 995 per applicant. The new USD 100,000 payment represents a major increase for employers sponsoring eligible workers from outside the US.
The higher cost could influence how companies approach international hiring. Junior software developers and other early-career workers may face greater difficulty securing sponsorship, while employers could reassess applications that involve the additional payment.
The extension also continues to shape decisions for Indian engineers, software developers and technicians planning US careers through the H-1B route. The policy will now stay in effect through September 2027 unless changed or otherwise modified.
Also Read: Trump’s $100K H-1B Visa Fee Back in Court, Legal Fight Puts Tech Hiring in Spotlight
