United States President Donald Trump on Friday signed a sweeping executive order that dramatically raises the cost of obtaining an H-1B visa, requiring applicants or their sponsors to pay a hefty $100,000 application fee.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump defended the measure as a way to ensure companies prioritize American workers while still giving firms access to “the best talent in the world.”
The order makes visa approval contingent on payment, a move the administration says will discourage what it calls the “overuse” of the program.
In a separate action, Trump introduced an entirely new immigration track, dubbed the “gold card” program , designed to fast-track visas for wealthy applicants and corporations. Under the plan, individuals can secure a visa by paying $1 million, while companies may pay $2 million to expedite entry for foreign employees they sponsor.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who helped craft the plan, described the gold card as a way to “attract extraordinary people at the very top,” contrasting it with the current green card system which he said admits too many workers from the “bottom quartile.”
The new rules could have sweeping consequences for industries reliant on H-1B visas, especially the technology sector, which regularly pushes for more foreign talent to meet workforce demands.
Each year, 65,000 H-1B visas are issued, with an additional 20,000 reserved for advanced-degree holders. Demand typically far outstrips supply, triggering a lottery system.
Trump’s relationship with the H-1B program has long been inconsistent. While he has frequently criticized it as a tool for replacing American workers with cheaper labor, he has also praised its role in boosting competitiveness.
Last year, he told the New York Post: “I’ve always liked the visas, I’ve always been in favor of the visas.”
The policy shift is likely to spark sharp debate. Business leaders such as Elon Musk and former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy have publicly defended the H-1B program, but immigration hardliners within Trump’s own base remain staunchly opposed to its expansion.
With the introduction of both the six-figure H-1B fee and the million-dollar gold card, the Trump administration is signaling a broader strategy: limit immigration overall, but make room for the wealthy and highly skilled.
“This ensures we get great workers,” Trump said. “And it pretty much guarantees that’s what’s going to happen.”
