Confusion

President Trump signed a proclamation on Friday introducing a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, triggering widespread confusion among companies and foreign workers.

Context

The H-1B visa program has long been a target of immigration reform advocates who argue that companies use it to hire foreign workers at lower wages instead of American workers. Trump campaigned on putting American workers first and reforming the visa system to prevent abuse. Some have criticized the H-1B program, which caps visas at 85,000 annually, believing it displaces American jobs, while others, including major donor Elon Musk, have expressed support for bringing skilled workers to the US.

Emergency Guidance

Major corporations immediately issued emergency warnings to employees after Trump’s Friday announcement, urging H-1B holders not to leave the country until the new rules were clarified. Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and JPMorgan advised workers currently overseas to return to the US before the measures took effect Sunday at 12:01 AM Eastern Time.