US President Donald Trump plans to impose a new $100,000 application fee for H-1B worker visas, a White House official said, potentially dealing a big blow to the technology sector that relies heavily on skilled workers from India and China.
As part of his broader immigration crackdown, Mr Trump was expected to sign a proclamation as early as Friday restricting entry under the H-1B visa programme unless the application fee is paid, the official said.
The H-1B programme has become a major flashpoint between Mr Trump's conservative base and the tech industry that contributed millions of dollars to his presidential campaign.
Supporters of the programme, including Tesla chief Elon Musk, say it brings in highly skilled workers essential to filling talent gaps and keeping firms competitive. Critics, including many US technology workers, argue that it allows firms to suppress wages and sideline Americans who could do the jobs.
Roughly two-thirds of jobs secured through the programme are computer-related, according to government figures, but employers also use the visa to bring in engineers, educators and healthcare workers.
In the first half of 2025, Amazon had more than 10,000 H-1B visas approved, while Microsoft and Meta Platforms had over 5,000 H-1B visa approvals each, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, an IT services company that relies extensively on H-1B visa holders, as well as US-listed shares of Indian tech firms Infosys and Wipro, fell more than 2 per cent each.
Under the current system, H-1B applicants pay $215 to enter a lottery and, if selected, subsequent fees that can amount to several thousand dollars depending on the case.
India was the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas last year, accounting for 71 per cent of approved beneficiaries, while China was a distant second at 11.7 per cent, according to government data.
The H-1B visas are approved for a period of three to six years.
Mr Trump also announced a new visa programme for the world’s wealthy, a much-anticipated effort to encourage them to immigrate to the US by offering residency permits for a large fee.
“They’re going to spend a lot of money to come in,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “It’s going to raise billions of dollars, billions and billions of dollars, which is going to go to reduce taxes, pay off debt and for other good things.”
Applicants can pay $1 million to receive US residency with the “Trump Gold Card”, following a processing fee and vetting, according to a website announcing the programme.
A “Platinum Card” will soon be available for $5 million, and allow recipients to spend up to 270 days in the country without being subject to US taxes on income.
Businesses that pay a $2 million fee per employee can receive US residency for an unspecified number of workers, according to the website.
The White House described the visas as a way to “facilitate the entry of aliens who have demonstrated their ability and desire to advance the interests of the United States by voluntarily providing a significant financial gift to the Nation”.
Mr Trump first floated the idea of the Gold Card in February and said it would “give you green card privileges”.
Green cards are normally obtained by getting a sponsorship through work, a relative or by marriage. But many countries including the UAE offer investor visas.
