Post by : Rameen Ariff

Washington: The White House has announced that a new $100,000 fee will be applied to high-skilled H-1B visa applications. Currently, the fee for an H-1B visa is $215, along with other minor processing charges. However, the Trump administration has indicated that certain workers, including doctors and medical residents, could be exempt from this new charge.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Bloomberg News that the executive order signed by President Donald Trump “allows for potential exemptions, which can include physicians and medical residents.” The proclamation also states that fees may be waived if the US Secretary of Homeland Security determines hiring the worker serves the national interest.

The clarification comes after medical associations raised concerns about a possible shortage of doctors in rural areas, warning that the $100,000 fee could reduce the entry of international medical graduates into the United States. Hospitals, especially in underserved regions, rely heavily on foreign-trained doctors who typically enter the country on H-1B visas.

Since the announcement, the White House has reassured companies that the new fee does not apply to existing H-1B visa holders. Employees already in the US or travelling abroad will not face the $100,000 charge for re-entry. The new policy took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.

An H-1B visa allows US employers to hire foreign workers with specialized skills and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. The visa is valid for three years and can be extended for another three years. Economist Stephen Brown noted that there are approximately 700,000 H-1B visa holders in the US, along with around half a million dependents.

About 60 percent of H-1B visas approved since 2012 have been for computer-related jobs, but other sectors, including hospitals, universities, and banks, also use the program. The number of new visas issued annually is capped at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants holding a master’s degree or higher. Some employers, such as universities and nonprofit organizations, are exempt from these limits.

The Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee has stirred debate, with officials balancing the goal of protecting American workers with the need to maintain a steady flow of high-skilled foreign professionals, particularly in healthcare.