$103,265 Fee Proposal Threatens Tech Hiring

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a significant increase in fees for new H-1B visa petitions, which could impact major technology firms. The suggested fee is $103,265, approximately 21 to 52 times higher than previous standard fees.

This proposal would predominantly affect large tech companies like Amazon, Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Infosys, and Alphabet Inc., who frequently hire engineering talent in bulk.

Amazon's primary U.S. services unit logged 2,008 approvals in recent quarterly employer records, with three additional Amazon entities reaching a total of approximately 2,661 approvals.

The company's second-quarter revenue increased 20% to $200.6 billion, and operating income surged 43% to $27.5 billion. However, Amazon is facing tough decisions regarding capital due to free cash flow flipping to a negative $7.6 billion.