United States President Donald Trump used his Labor Day proclamation to champion a proposed levy on H-1B visa applications, asserting that the measure would incentivize domestic firms to prioritize local employment before seeking personnel abroad.
“To ensure we are hiring and training American workers, we are proposing a new fee on H-1B visa petitions that will encourage companies to invest in qualified Americans before looking overseas for labor,” Trump said in the Monday, September 7, proclamation, in effect, incorporating the controversial H-1B visa into a broader policy framework on industrial production, commercial tariffs, and domestic employment security.
The H-1B visa, used by technology enterprises and various employers to recruit skilled international specialists, with Indian citizens traditionally representing the largest segment of recipients, makes policy adjustments a subject of significant interest in India and amongst the expatriate professional population in the United States.
The high cost of the visa was not a new policy, and was announced by the Department of Homeland Security proposing a $103,265 charge for cap-subject H-1B applications. This would include those qualifying for advanced-degree exemptions, which would be collected upon filing alongside standard immigration costs to support administrative expenses.
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“After decades of disastrous trade policies that surrendered our industrial strength to foreign nations, companies are now returning home, investing trillions of dollars into the United States economy, and adding over 900,000 American jobs,” Trump stated.
Attributing industrial resilience to protective duties, the administration noted consecutive months of manufacturing growth.
“Our Nation is entering a bold new era of American manufacturing, technological innovation, and economic prosperity — powered by the might of the American worker,” Trump said.
The official text designated September 7 as Labor Day to recognize employee contributions.
This follows a previous attempt by the administration to institute a $100,000 fee for incoming H-1B entrants, which was invalidated by a Massachusetts federal judge in June due to executive overreach, followed by an appeals court denial in July regarding a requested stay.
Unlike previous immediate measures, the $103,265 adjustment is proceeding through standard federal regulatory channels as a proposal rather than an active charge.