President Donald Trump has extended H-1B visa restrictions on foreign workers for another year, maintaining a $100,000 fee requirement that was initially set to expire this month, the White House said on Sept. 18.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers for jobs that require “the theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in the specific specialty.”
Trump initially imposed the fee last September through a proclamation aimed at curbing what he said was the abuse of the visa program that has reduced job opportunities for American workers. The fee was an increase from the previous baseline fees of $2,000 and $5,000 for the visas.
The White House said in a statement on Sept. 18 that the fee will remain in effect until Sept. 21, 2027.
“The restrictions enacted by the 2025 proclamation have proven to be highly effective but the underlying conditions necessitating the restrictions persist,” it stated.
The extension comes as legal challenges over the fee’s legality continue. A federal judge ruled on June 8 that the temporary fee was illegal and blocked the federal government from collecting it. A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing the decision after the administration appealed.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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