U.S. Homeland Security Department plans to increase H-1B visa fee to $103,265, according to a notice posted in the Federal Register on Monday. The new fee would apply to all petitions for H-1B workers subject to an annual statutory cap, including those with master’s degrees, as per a Bloomberg Tax report. It “would serve as a dedicated revenue mechanism to help recover a portion of the federal government’s costs of administering the lawful immigration system.”
ALSO READ | H-1B visa fees back in focus as Trump administration advances new ruleThe Department of Homeland Security’s proposal comes after a court overturned US President Donald Trump’s $100,000 charge for H-1B visa holders hired from outside the country. DHS is also reportedly weighing a plan to add a $100,000 charge for participation in Optional Practical Training, a post-graduate employment program for foreign students on F-1 visas. The H-1B visa being one of the most sought-after US work visas, gives American companies access to skilled global talent while offering foreign professionals a path to work in the country.
