The White House has clarified that the new US$100,000 fee for H-1B visas, set to take effect on Sept 21, will apply only to new petitions and not to existing visa holders re-entering the state, Reuters reported.
“This is not an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X, stressing that current visa holders can travel in and out of the US without paying the charge.
The clarification came after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested on Sept 19 that the fee might be recurring, sparking confusion among employers and workers. Companies including Microsoft, JPMorgan and Amazon quickly issued advisories urging H-1B employees to avoid international travel. Goldman Sachs also circulated an internal memo cautioning staff.
The fee, mandated by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, aims to “level the playing field” for American workers, the White House said, citing concerns that US jobs were being displaced by lower-paid foreign labour.
Indian IT industry body Nasscom warned that the move could disrupt global operations for technology firms that rely heavily on H-1B workers. H-1B visa holders, a majority of whom are from India, make up more than 65% of the US IT workforce, compared to 32% in 2003, according to government data.
While the administration said waivers could be granted “in the national interest”, the order also directs the Departments of Labour and Homeland Security to strengthen enforcement, conduct audits and propose new wage rules to prioritise higher-skilled, higher-paid applicants.
The sudden announcement rattled many foreign workers. On Chinese social media app Rednote, H-1B holders described cutting short overseas trips to rush back into the US, fearing they might be charged the new fee if they delayed re-entry.
The measure is expected to raise costs for employers in sectors ranging from technology and finance to healthcare, where skilled foreign workers have long filled labour gaps.
