Trump Imposes $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas, Launches $1 Million ‘Gold Card’ Residency Program
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation dramatically reshaping America’s visa system, introducing a $100,000 annual fee for companies sponsoring H-1B skilled worker visas, while unveiling a new “gold card” visa that offers permanent residency to those who can pay $1 million.
Major Shift in the H-1B Program
H-1B visas allow U.S. companies to hire foreign professionals in specialized fields such as technology, engineering, and science. Each visa is initially valid for three years and can be extended to six.
Under Trump’s new rules, businesses will be required to pay $100,000 per year for each worker they sponsor. Officials argue the move will ensure that only companies seeking the “most rare and valuable skills” will continue to use the program.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the measure, saying:
“If you’re going to train somebody, train an American graduate from one of our great universities. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs.”
The H-1B program, created in 1990, currently allocates 85,000 visas annually through a lottery system. Critics warn that the steep fees could transform or cripple the system, particularly for startups and smaller firms that rely on international talent.
Supporters and Critics Clash
Trump has long tied stricter immigration policies to protecting American jobs, and this move follows previous efforts to limit foreign student visas, expand social media checks, and impose travel bans.
Lutnick claimed “all the big companies are on board” with the new fee, which would apply for each of the three years of an H-1B visa’s duration.
But many in the tech industry say the policy risks driving innovation abroad.
Deedy Das, partner at Menlo Ventures, warned:
“Adding new fees creates disincentives to attract the world’s smartest talent. If the U.S. ceases to attract top talent, it drastically reduces its ability to innovate and grow the economy.”
Analysts caution that the added costs may push companies to shift high-value projects overseas, weakening America’s competitive edge in the global artificial intelligence race against China.
Jeremy Goldman, an analyst at eMarketer, said:
“In the short term, Washington may collect a windfall. In the long term, the U.S. risks taxing away its innovation edge, trading dynamism for protectionism.”
Legal Questions Raised
Some immigration experts argue the legality of the new fees is questionable.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council, wrote:
“Congress has only authorized the government to set fees that recover the cost of processing applications. This move goes far beyond that.”
Currently, applying for an H-1B visa involves a small lottery fee, with total costs for successful applicants amounting to several thousand dollars. Trump’s plan could push those costs into the hundreds of thousands per worker.
Who Uses H-1B Visas the Most?
The H-1B program is widely used by tech giants. In 2025, Amazon was the largest recipient, securing more than 10,000 visas. Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple, and Google followed closely behind.
California remains the state with the highest concentration of H-1B visa holders.
Globally, India dominates the program, with its citizens making up 71% of approved applicants last year. China was the second-largest source at 11.7%, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The New “Gold Card”
Alongside the H-1B overhaul, Trump introduced a new “gold card visa”, which grants permanent residency to anyone willing to pay $1 million.
“The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The program could appeal to wealthy investors but is likely to spark debate over whether U.S. residency should be linked to personal wealth.