A new $100,000 fee for organizations with highly skilled foreign workers in the H-1B program will significantly affect employers in the technology sector. Under the current system, entering the lottery for an H-1B visa costs $215 for sponsoring employers, and, if approved, subsequent fees can amount to several thousand dollars. The $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B visa applicants.
"While SHRM understands the Trump administration's goal of protecting the American worker, we encourage them to consider unintended consequences that could create major barriers for employers — particularly small and midsized businesses," said Emily M. Dickens, chief of staff, head of government affairs, and corporate secretary at SHRM. "We urge the White House to work with stakeholders to strike the critical balance of protecting American workers while ensuring employers can access the critical skills our economy needs."
In the first half of 2025, Amazon and its cloud-computing unit, AWS, received approval for more than 14,000 H-1B visas, the largest beneficiary of the year. Other top recipients include Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, as well as IT consulting companies Tata Consultancy Services and Cognizant Technology Solutions.
Tech isn't the only industry that would be affected by the increased fee, which may be subject to challenges in court. Read the full story.
DHS Proposes Changes to H-1B Lottery
In addition, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is proposing to change the H-1B lottery system by moving from a purely random lottery selection to a weighted process that prioritizes higher-paid workers.
Largest-Ever Worksite Raid
In other immigration compliance news, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers carried out the agency's largest single-site immigration raid ever, detaining 475 workers at a Hyundai Motor battery plant near Savannah, Ga.
Private-Sector Employees' Speech Rights Limited
Private-sector employers often can fire workers for their political affiliation and activities, which has also been in the news. But some state laws and local ordinances offer employees protection.
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