DHS Proposes $103,265 Fee for New H-1B Visa Petitions
The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a permanent fee of $103,265 for each new H-1B visa petition. This is an increase of roughly 21 to 52 times over the former standard price of $2,000, $5,000.
According to Reuters, registrations for H-1B visas dropped to around 344,000 in the latest period, down from 794,000 in 2023. Despite this decrease, there were still over four registrations competing for each available slot.
The proposed fee does not apply to renewals or most workers transitioning from U.S. student status. Coverage is significant, as the suggested fee would target petitions for employees located outside the United States.
Immigration attorney Charles Kuck described the proposal as 'an illegal tax.' The administration maintains that increasing the fee would discourage reliance on less expensive foreign labor.