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US proposes US$103,265 H-1B fee to expand petition costs

The proposed additional charge would apply to cap-subject petitions, including requests for people already in the US seeking a change of status, and would be paid by employers when filing.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed an additional US$103,265 fee for H-1B visa petitions, a change that would raise the cost of hiring skilled foreign workers, according to SCMP Economy.

The proposal would apply to every H-1B petition that is subject to the annual numerical cap of 85,000 visas, which includes 20,000 visas reserved for people holding US master’s degrees or higher, the outlet reported.

Employers would pay the new fee when filing a petition, on top of existing fees, and it would also extend beyond an earlier US$100,000 charge that was imposed by presidential proclamation in September 2025 and largely targeted new H-1B arrivals from overseas.

SCMP Economy said the US$103,265 fee would apply more broadly, including to cap-subject petitions filed for people already in the US seeking a change of status, which could affect international students working in the US under Optional Practical Training.

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