Washington: The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed raising the H-1B visa fee to $103,265, according to a notice published in the Federal Register on Monday, potentially increasing hiring costs for foreign professionals and employers.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration also considers new fees for the F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme.
Immigration law firm Fragomen said a proposed OPT fee rule was sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 20, while a separate H-1B fee proposal cleared OMB review on August 19. The proposals remain confidential and are yet to be formally released.
Indians could be disproportionately affected as they accounted for 71% of H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal 2024, with 399,402 petitions approved that year. The possible OPT fee is particularly significant for Indian students, who commonly follow the F-1-to-OPT-to-H-1B pathway. A reported $100,000 OPT fee remains unconfirmed.
The latest move follows the administration’s earlier $100,000 H-1B payment requirement, which was blocked by a federal court and is currently unenforceable.
Separately, DHS has proposed removing the existing 60-day grace period for unemployed H-1B workers and their dependents, potentially requiring them to leave the US immediately if their employment ends.
