Danny Weber
08:41 20-09-2025
© whitehouse.gov
Trump orders a $100,000 annual H-1B fee, hitting Amazon, Microsoft and Google, and unveils a fast-track Gold Card visa for investors. The impact on tech hiring.
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an order introducing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications. Companies will be required to pay this amount every year for each employee they bring to the United States on this visa, for up to six years. The levy applies only to new applications, and the administration maintains it is intended to curb wage undercutting in the IT sector.
For employers that rely heavily on the H-1B program — including Amazon, Microsoft, and Google — the move could significantly affect day-to-day operations, since this route is central to recruiting highly qualified specialists. The H-1B pathway has become integral to major tech firms, which makes the new price tag particularly painful for the industry. In practice, the added cost turns H-1B hiring into a far more expensive bet, pushing companies to be more selective about roles and headcount.
In addition, Trump signed an order creating a new “Gold Card” visa program that will speed up processing for entrepreneurs and investors prepared to make large financial contributions to the U.S. economy. Taken together, the steps signal a shift: costlier pathways for temporary work visas, while capital-backed entrants are given a faster lane.