US proposes H-1B fee of more than $100,000 for cap-subject applications

The United States Department of Homeland Security proposed a fee of $103,265 for every H-1B visa application subject to the annual cap, according to a notice issued on 24 August 2026. The fee would also apply to petitions that qualify for the advanced degree exemption.

If finalised, the new charge would replace the existing lower filing fees and would apply to employers seeking to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. The proposal forms part of a broader review of immigration fees and processing costs under the Trump administration.

Indian technology firms and their US subsidiaries are among the largest users of the H-1B programme. A fee of this size would raise the upfront cost of each petition by roughly an order of magnitude and could alter hiring plans for the next fiscal year lottery.

The notice invites public comment before any final rule is issued. Employers, universities and industry associations are expected to submit detailed economic analyses of the impact on recruitment of engineers, researchers and other specialised staff.

Previous fee increases have been more modest. The scale of the proposed change marks a clear shift in the cost structure of the H-1B pathway and will be watched closely by companies that rely on the programme to fill technical roles in the United States.