The Trump administration announced a new USD 100,000 annual fee aimed at ensuring that those brought into the country are “actually very highly skilled” and do not replace American workers. This move is designed to protect American jobs while providing companies a pathway to hire “truly extraordinary people” and bring them to the United States.
Under this policy, companies will be required to pay the fee to sponsor H1B visa applicants. “We need workers. We need workers. We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen,” President Trump said as he signed the proclamation in the Oval Office, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick present.
Lutnick highlighted that historically, the employment-based Green Card program allowed 281,000 people per year into the U.S., with an average annual income of USD 66,000. These individuals were five times more likely to participate in government assistance programs. “So we were taking in the bottom quartile, below the average American. It was illogical, the only country in the world that was taking in the bottom quartile,” he stated.
He added, “We are going to stop doing that. We’re going to only take extraordinary people at the very top, instead of those trying to take jobs from Americans. They’re going to create businesses and create jobs for Americans. And this program will raise more than USD 100 billion for the treasury of the United States.”
President Trump said that the funds raised will be used to cut taxes and pay down debt. “We think it’s going to be very successful,” he remarked.
The USD 100,000 annual fee is expected to significantly impact Indian technology workers, who make up a large portion of H1-B visa holders hired by tech companies and others. H1-B visas are valid for three years and can be renewed for another three. Companies that sponsor employees for Green Cards can renew visas until permanent residency is granted. However, Indians on work visas face a decades-long wait for Green Cards, and the new fee could affect their ability to remain in the U.S. if their employers choose not to pay the required fee annually.
Lutnick explained, “So the whole idea is, no more will these big tech companies or other big companies train foreign workers. They have to pay the government USD 100,000, then they have to pay the employee. So it’s just not economic. If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land, train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs. That’s the policy here. And all of the big companies are on board. We’ve spoken to them about it.”
President Trump added that tech companies “love it. They really love it. They really love it. They need it.” He emphasized, “The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in.”
In addition to this, Trump signed an executive order entitled “The Gold Card,” aimed at establishing a new visa pathway for foreigners of extraordinary ability who commit to supporting the United States. Under the Gold Card program, individuals who pay USD 1 million to the U.S. Treasury, or USD 2 million if sponsored by a corporation, will gain access to expedited visa processing and a path to a Green Card.
“We’re taking in hundreds of billions of dollars. The Gold Card will be taking in hundreds of billions of dollars, and companies will be able to keep some people they need. They need people of expertise, great expertise. I think it’s going to be a fantastic thing, and we’re going to take that money and we’re going to reduce taxes, we’re going to reduce debt,” Trump said.
When asked whether the new USD 100,000 fee would apply to current H1-B visa holders, renewals, or new applicants from abroad, Lutnick replied, “Renewals, first times, the company needs to decide. Is that person valuable enough to have USD 100,000 a year payment to the government, or they should head home and they should go hire an American.”
He added, “It can be a total of six years, so USD 100,000 a year. So either the person is very valuable to the company and America, or they’re going to depart and the company is going to hire an American. That’s the point of immigration — hire Americans and make sure the people coming in are the top, top people. Stop the nonsense of letting people just come into this country on these visas that were given away for free. The president is crystal clear. Valuable people only for America. Stop the nonsense.”
Addressing concerns from technology CEOs who hire foreign workers on H1-B visas, Trump said they will be pleased with the changes. “Everyone’s going to be happy. And we’re going to be able to keep people in our country that are going to be very productive people. And in many cases, these companies are going to pay a lot of money for that, and they’re very happy about it,” he stated.
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