US President Donald Trump has sign a proclamation introducing a hefty US Dollars 100,000 annual fees for company that employ H-1B visa holder, citing concern over misuse of the programme and threat to national security. Under the proclamation titled Restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant worker, petitions for H-1B specialty occupation worker submitted without the fees will be restrict after September 21, 2025. The administration argue that the H-1B system, originally intend to bring in highly skill worker, has been abuse to displace US worker with lower-wage foreign labor, specially in STEM and tech field.

The government assert that many IT outsourcing firm has use the programme to artificially suppress wage, harming American worker. As per the proclamation, firms hiring foreign worker through H-1B without paying the elevate fee would be cut off unless the hiring is show to be in the national interest, or not pose a threat to US security. Also, under the new rule, restriction extend to misuse of B visa for people already with approved H-1B petition starting before October 1, 2026.

For US-educated graduate, specially in computer science and engineering, the move is likely make jobs more scarce, as employer may prefer foreign-skill worker who had previous available at lower cost. The percentage of IT worker under H-1B has grow from about 32% in FY 2003 to over 65% in recent year, showing how central tech firm have become to the contention. Critic warn this will be major blow to the tech industry which heavily rely on global talent pipeline.