Current H-1B Visa Holders, Renewals Exempt From $100,000 Fee: White House

This article was originally published  by The Epoch Times: Current H-1B Visa Holders, Renewals Exempt From $100,000 Fee: White House

In the realm of immigration policy, clarity is often as elusive as a seasoned diplomat at a cocktail party. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took on the mantle of demystifier by stating that the contentious new $100,000 visa fee will only apply to new H-1B visa applicants, leaving current holders and renewals unscathed from this financial burden.

During a briefing on September 20, Leavitt attempted to clear up the fog that enveloped this decision following President Donald Trump’s proclamation on September 19, which understandably sent ripples of confusion through the H-1B community. “This is NOT an annual fee,” she asserted, emphasizing its nature as a one-time charge applicable solely to new visa petitions.

Leavitt further reassured H-1B holders who find themselves outside the U.S. that they won’t be slapped with this hefty fee upon reentry—a fractional joy in an otherwise convoluted landscape.

The urgency of this clarification arose from Trump’s executive order that simultaneously proposed a $1 million “gold card” visa aimed at paving the path to citizenship, a topic that could fill volumes on the intersection of wealth and immigration.

In the proclamation, Trump articulated his view that the H-1B program was initially designed to attract temporary high-skilled labor but has devolved into a “deliberate exploitation” scheme that prioritizes cheaper labor at the expense of American workers. A sentiment that surely resonates like a broken record among those who argue for the protection of homegrown talent.

Indeed, recent discourse around H-1B visas, particularly in tech industries with voracious demand—think Google and Apple—has suggested a growing dependency on foreign talent. Critics, including not only the administration but also various worker advocacy groups, claim that this dependency undermines American workers, promoting a grim narrative of layoffs being replaced by cheaper international substitutes.

A White House fact sheet elaborated on these concerns, noting a troubling trend: H-1B workers constituted 32% of the IT sector in 2003, with that figure skyrocketing to over 65% in more recent years. While companies may argue that foreign talent fills critical gaps, those trained in U.S. institutions face disproportionate unemployment rates—6.1% for computer science graduates and 7.5% for computer engineering graduates, compared to their peers in disciplines like biology or art history.

The legal landscape regarding this proclamation remains uncertain. Should it survive judicial scrutiny, the provisions would take effect during the forthcoming H-1B lottery—essentially a lottery that many applicants would rather not play.

To put this $100,000 fee into context: the existing application cost sits at a modest $215. The idea is that this should refocus the H-1B program back to its “additive, high-skilled” roots. Nevertheless, the execution of such a policy raises eyebrows—like putting a high price tag on access to a club that’s already difficult for many to enter.

Moreover, the proclamation allows for “case-by-case exemptions if deemed in the national interest,” as determined by the secretary of homeland security—a provision that could turn into a well-intended safety valve or a bureaucratic Pandora’s box, depending on implementation.

On the same day, Trump’s signing of an executive order for the “gold card” proposal set the bar rather high—$1 million for individual applicants and $2 million for corporate sponsorship, entwining the idea of wealth with immigration right at its seams. An approach that contrasts sharply with the traditional narratives of merit and skill in immigrant stories.

Trump originally pitched this “gold card” idea during his first policy address to Congress in March, albeit with an even steeper fee of $5 million then—a decision that makes one ponder: is the pathway to citizenship now a VIP membership accessible only to the affluent?

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