The Donald Trump administration has decided to drastically raise the “professional visa” (H-1B) fee to $100,000 per person, prompting major tech companies to urgently require employees who own the visa to avoid international travel and stay in the U.S.
According to Bloomberg News on the 21st, Microsoft (MS), Google, and Amazon sent emails to employees to notify them to return to the United States and cancel their departure plans before the new visa rules announced by the Trump administration take effect on the 19th.
As controversy grew following the announcement of the new rules, the White House began to evolve, saying the sharply increased fees only apply to new visas and do not affect existing visa holders’ entry and exit to the United States.
However, as uncertainty grows over the application and enforcement of the system, confusion and anxiety are spreading among companies across the United States.
In response, businesses and immigration lawyers are advising H-1B visa holders to act carefully.
Earlier, after the Trump administration’s announcement on the 19th, Microsoft informed its H-1B visa employees to “stay in the United States for a while.”
Microsoft also warned employees in an additional email that the White House’s explanation would “ensure the return of colleagues who are currently abroad for significant personal reasons,” but that “there could be some confusion at the arrivals hall in the coming days.” A Google employee canceled a trip to Tokyo that he had planned for a family visit after the White House announcement, and Amazon also advised holders of H-4 visas issued to spouses and children of H-1B holders to stay in the U.S.
In fiscal 2025, which began in October last year, the largest number of H-1B visas allocated by June 30 this year was “Amazon Dotcom,” according to the USCIS database.
Among Amazon affiliates, Amazon’s H-1B visa allocation this year exceeds 14,000 if cloud companies “Amazon Web Service” (AWS) and “Amazon Development Center US” are combined.
Tata Consultancy (5,505), an information technology (IT) service and consulting company based in Mumbai, India, is the second largest, followed by MS (5,198), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), and Google (4,181).
SAM KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
