Waking up to a huge shock: the U.S. government dropped another bombshell last Friday:
Starting September 21, the entry of foreign nationals in nonimmigrant status to perform professional services will be restricted unless their U.S. employer pays an additional $100,000 fee when applying for an H-1B on their behalf.
Source: White House
This vague announcement sent H-1B visa holders temporarily outside the U.S. into a panic. Airfare prices soared, and many rushed to book flights back to the U.S. overnight.
On the day of the announcement, more than a dozen passengers on U.S.-India flights who had already checked in demanded to deplane immediately after receiving the news, causing flight delays.
Source: NDTV
In response to this bombshell 💣 dropped by the president on Friday, USCIS and the White House worked overtime over the weekend to clarify the announcement.
The current optimistic interpretation of the announcement and clarifications is as follows:
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This policy only applies to H-1B petitions filed from outside the U.S. after September 21, 2025, including the new 2026 lottery. It does not apply to renewals, nor to H-1B visas already issued or petitions already submitted.
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It does not prevent any current H-1B visa holders from entering or leaving the U.S., and those currently outside the U.S. do not need to pay $100,000 to re-enter.
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The $100,000 is not an annual fee; it will be a one-time charge when submitting a new H-1B petition.
Source: USCIS
Source: CBP
There are still many confusing aspects regarding this announcement and the clarifications. More explanatory information is expected to be released in the coming days, and CheersYou（清柚教育） will keep you updated.
At present, it appears that this announcement is more aimed at 'restricting those outside the U.S. who want to use H-1B visas to enter the U.S. and take jobs away from locals'.
The announcement cites cases of multiple tech companies that, while laying off American workers, abused H-1B regulations to artificially lower wages and hire large numbers of H-1B workers, stressing that such practices harm U.S. workers.
Indian nationals will bear the brunt and be most affected. India has always been the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, accounting for over 70% of total issuances, with more than 80,000 new work visas issued last year.
Source: USCIS
It is important to note that H-1B visas are not limited to international students in the U.S. Anyone who secures a job offer from a U.S. company and meets the educational requirements is eligible to apply.
The increased hiring cost will further crack down on fraudulent H-1B applicants. This means more quota opportunities will be left for international students who graduate in the U.S. and seek local employment, rather than being diverted to non-compliant outsourcing firms.
USCIS previously changed H-1B to a 'one person, one lottery' system.
However, the sharp increase in H-1B fees may lead U.S. companies to re-examine their recruiting and hiring processes for foreign workers. For international students, the job market ahead will still pose significant challenges.
This H-1B policy is not yet final, and more supplementary explanations are expected. It may also be quickly challenged as difficult to enforce.
We advise all students to maintain a healthy mindset and make rational assessments. CheersYou（清柚教育） will bring you the latest updates.
