NewsFlash! $100,000 Fee for H1B Workers Abroad Goes into Effect 21.Sep.2025

Last night, Trump issued a proclamation to restrict the entry of certain nonimmigrant workers, specifically targeting the H1B visa program. The proclamation, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025, requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee to accompany a visa petition for an H1B worker who is currently outside the United States. H1B workers who attempt to enter after that time, without the fee being submitted,  may not be permitted to enter the United States.

Impact on H1B Workers and Employers

This measure significantly impacts both H1B workers and their employers. For employers, the new fee represents an absurdly high financial burden for each H1B worker outside the country. For H1B workers, they must race back to the United States or else may face being stuck abroad indefinitely.

The proclamation also notes that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to issue waivers for the restriction if hiring certain individuals is deemed to be in the national interest and poses no security threat. This leaves the door open for potential exceptions, although the specifics of who would be eligible for a waiver are not yet available.

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