Trump introduces $100k H-1B visa charge

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(The Center Square) - President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Friday to change the process for securing an H-1B visa to include a $100,000 annual fee, in an apparent effort to discourage hiring of foreign workers. 

H-1B visas are allocated to high skilled workers in specialized jobs, typically requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher. Industries that typically employ H-1B visa workers include sciences, technology and math. 

"We're going to take that money and we're going to reduce taxes, we're going to reduce debt," Trump said. 

The White House said employers tend to abuse the H-1B program to recruit foreign workers over Americans. 

"The large-scale replacement of American workers through systemic abuse of the program has undermined both our economic and national security," Trump's proclamation read. 

Congress sets a cap for H-1B visas at 65,000 per year but allows an additional 20,000 visas for advanced degree holders.

The H-1B program operates on a random lottery system. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, in 2025, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Meta were among the top five companies petitioning for H-1B visas.

Microsoft has been criticized for recent layoffs of employees while still engaging in the H-1B program.

This criticism has been echoed by members of Trump’s cabinet, specifically Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who criticized the H-1B program and vowed to reform it over the last few months.

“The current H1B visa system is a scam that lets foreign workers fill American job opportunities,” Lutnick said in an August social media post. “Hiring American workers should be the priority of all great American businesses. Now is the time to hire an American.”

The H-1B reform appears to be an effort to discourage companies from recruiting immigrants through its program. 

"So either the person is very valuable to the company and America, or they're going to depart and the company is going to hire an American," Lutnick said Friday. 

Trump also signed an executive order on Friday designating the "Trump Gold Card" system that allows immigrants to purchase citizenship authorization for millions of dollars.

Trump first announced the Gold Card initiative several months ago. The initiative offers immigrants who pay $1 million U.S. residency in "record time."

"We're going to only take extraordinary people at the very top," Lutnick said. "Instead of people trying to take the jobs from Americans, they're going to create businesses and create jobs for Americans and this program will raise more than $100 billion for the treasury of the United States of America."

The program also offers a Platinum Card in exchange for a $5 million contribution and the chance to spend up to 270 days in the United States without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income. 

As the White House looks to reform the H-1B system, Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., reportedly introduced a proposal to increase wage requirements for foreign workers on the H-1B program and eliminate requirements for training.

Banks’ proposal would reportedly increase the minimum required salary for H-1B visa holders from $60,000 to as much as $150,000. It also would eliminate the Optional Practice Training program that allows foreign graduates to work in the United States for up to three years. Additionally, the proposal would implement a similar provision as to what Trump is pursuing in his executive order.

The Center Square reached out to Banks’ office for comment on the proposed legislation but did not receive a response by the time of publication.