Sep 19, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Trump seeks $100,000 visa fee for temporary skilled workers

Josephine Walker

President Trump walks to Air Force One at Morristown Airport on Sept. 14 in Morristown, N.J. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

President Trump announced that highly-skilled workers hoping to work in America will now have to pay a $100,000 fee to receive an H-1B visa, multiple outlets reported.

Why it matters: H-1B visas divide Trump's MAGA coalition, with some arguing foreign employees displace American workers while business leaders like Elon Musk view them as vital to America's tech dominance.

Trump also signed an order to create a "Gold Card" to sell U.S. residency for $1 million.

Context: H-1B visas are temporary grants for workers with specialized skills in fields such as technology or engineering, and are different from the paths to permanent residency offered to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

H-1B visas are sponsored by an applicants' employer and are typically granted for up to three years, with the possibility of extending the visas up to 6.
The U.S. government caps the amount of new H-1B visas at 85,000 per year, and the most common beneficiaries are from India and China, according to a May report from the Department of Homeland Security.

Go deeper: What to know about the H-1B visas fueling divide in MAGA world

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Trump seeks $100,000 visa fee for temporary skilled workers

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