Trump Imposes $100,000 H‑1B Petition Fee and Launches High‑Dollar Residency ‘Gold/Platinum’ Cards

Overview

• Press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified the H‑1B fee is a one‑time charge on new petitions, does not apply to current holders or renewals, and will be implemented with the next lottery cycle.
• The proclamation is paired with a directive to tighten prevailing‑wage rules for H‑1B positions, signaling further restrictions through upcoming regulation.
• Tech and other large employers, including Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon, initially urged H‑1B staff to return to the U.S. or avoid travel as details were sorted, reflecting widespread operational uncertainty.
• Trump formalized a paid‑residency program offering a $1 million individual ‘Gold Card,’ a $2 million corporate option, and a forthcoming $5 million ‘Platinum’ tier, with agencies given timelines to set procedures and officials discussing targets in the tens of thousands of visas.
• Immigration lawyers and industry groups expect legal challenges and warn the moves could hit Indian nationals—who represent the majority of H‑1B approvals—and strain startups and smaller employers that rely on sponsored talent.