The Trump administration is advancing sweeping changes to the H-1B visa program. From a proposed $100,000 sponsorship fee that could reshape hiring practices across industries to a selection process shift favoring higher-paid workers, the measures could significantly impact how U.S. employers access global talent.
HR leaders also face growing pressure to upskill and reskill their workforce to keep pace with automation and AI, and to streamline global recruitment as organizations expand across borders.
Trump Administration Moves to Overhaul H-1B Program
The Trump administration shook up the H-1B visa program for skilled foreign workers with a series of recent announcements.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Sept. 19 requiring a $100,000 fee for sponsoring highly skilled foreign workers in the H-1B visa program, a significant increase that will largely impact technology companies that have long relied on the program to hire foreign talent.
Other industries would also be affected. J. Mike Sevilla, an immigration attorney at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney in Minneapolis, said that the $100,000 fee for H-1B petitions "would be devastating to several industries as it would significantly prohibit the hiring of foreign national talent in this visa classification."
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed to change the H-1B lottery system by moving from a purely random lottery selection to a weighted process that prioritizes higher-paid workers. And the White House previewed additional changes to the H-1B visa program, as well as to student work opportunities, and seasonal worker wage rules in its latest regulatory agenda.
Streamline Global Recruitment with These Tips to Hire Faster
Hiring top talent is challenging, especially as organizations expand across borders. Global recruitment introduces opportunities to tap into diverse, highly skilled talent pools, but it also brings hurdles such as navigating local regulations, managing costs, and ensuring a seamless hiring process.
"If we take a look at the typical hiring process, we can see where there are plenty of opportunities for delays to occur," said Rebecca Applewhite, director of solutions consulting at Remote, a cross-border HR and payroll platform based in San Francisco.
HR Must Build the Workforce of Tomorrow by Upskilling, Reskilling
As automation and artificial intelligence rapidly reshape job requirements, many employees fear their current skills won't be enough to keep pace. For HR leaders, this shift underscores the urgency of upskilling and reskilling, not just to fill skill gaps, but to boost retention, productivity, and long-term workforce readiness.
Michelle Weise, chief impact officer of The Kern Family Foundation, discussed the importance of future-proofing the workforce through upskilling and reskilling in a recent SHRM webinar.
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