Companies Urge H-1B Workers to Return to US Before New Visa Fee Deadline
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Tech giant Microsoft and financial powerhouse JP Morgan have issued urgent advisories to their employees on H-1B and H-4 visas, warning them to return to the U.S. before a new, much higher visa fee takes effect.
According to internal emails, both companies are pushing workers to re-enter the country by September 21 to avoid the new policy from the Trump administration.
What’s Changing?
- The annual H-1B visa fee is being raised to $100,000, a historic increase. Previously, fees ranged from about $1,700 to $4,500.
- The new fee is scheduled to go into effect at 12:01 am EDT on September 21.
- After this deadline, any H-1B worker abroad will be unable to enter the U.S. unless their employer pays the new fee.
- The new rule is set to be in place for at least 12 months.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to hire skilled foreign professionals, while the H-4 visa is for their spouses and children. These visas are crucial for many industries, including tech, finance, and engineering, which rely heavily on talent from countries like India and China.
Why It Matters
Industry experts are concerned that this significant fee hike could hinder global mobility and slow innovation, potentially weakening America’s competitive edge in the long run. The change places a massive financial burden on companies that depend on skilled foreign workers.
