Trump’s H-1B Visa Changes: What He Promises

Here’s a breakdown of who is affected by the new H-1B visa fee, and other key facts from the text:

Who is Affected?

* ⁣ New H-1B ⁢applicants: A $10,000 fee will be applied to new ⁣applications in the upcoming⁤ lottery cycle.
* ‍ Not affected:

* H-1B visa renewals

* Current H-1B visa ⁣holders
⁤ * H-1B visa holders already outside the U.S. (they ⁢won’t need to pay to re-enter)
* ⁢ Potential exceptions: The fee can be waived for‍ immigrants deemed essential to the national interest by the Secretary of⁤ Homeland Security.

Key Details ⁤about the Fee:

* It’s a one-time payment,not an annual ⁤charge (despite initial conflicting statements).

Who are H-1B Workers & Why are they Needed?

*⁣ They are highly skilled foreign professionals working in “specialty ‍occupations” (often STEM fields) where U.S. employers can’t find qualified American⁢ workers.
* ⁤ Common ⁢fields include science, technology, engineering, and math.
* A bachelor’s degree is generally required.

Industry Reliance:

* The tech and ⁢finance sectors heavily rely on H-1B visas.
* The majority⁣ of H-1B visa holders⁣ come from India (71%) ⁣and China (11.7%).

Visa Numbers:

* The annual cap⁣ is 65,000 visas, plus an additional 20,000 for those with U.S. master’s or doctoral degrees.
* A lottery ⁤system is used when demand exceeds the cap.
*⁤ 60% or ⁣more of ⁤approved H-1B workers have computer-related jobs.

Top Employers (Fiscal Year 2025):

* Amazon ‍(sponsored⁤ over 10,000 applicants)
* Microsoft

* (The text is cut off before listing other top employers)

Regarding B Visas:

* The ⁢White House will provide guidance to prevent B visas (temporary business visas) from being used as a workaround for the H-1B visa process, ⁢particularly for those with start dates before October 2026.