The U.S. government has proposed a six-figure fee for H-1B visas, the Wall Street Journal reported under the headline "Government Proposes New Six-Figure Fee for H1-B Visas." A fee at that level would reshape how American employers hire foreign professional workers if implemented.

The H-1B programme grants temporary work authorisation to skilled foreign nationals in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent. U.S. employers, not workers themselves, sponsor the visa. The annual cap stands at 65,000 visas. An additional 20,000 visas are reserved for foreign professionals who hold a master's degree or higher from a U.S. institution.

The WSJ headline describes the proposed fee as "six-figure," meaning it would exceed $99,999. The report does not specify the exact amount, the effective date, or whether the fee would apply per petition, per worker, or per sponsoring company.

Who does the proposal target?

The H-1B programme primarily serves technology firms, financial services companies, universities, hospitals, and engineering consultancies. India accounts for roughly two-thirds of approved H-1B beneficiaries in recent fiscal years, according to publicly available USCIS data. Major Indian IT services firms, U.S. technology companies, and global consultancies have historically received the largest share of approved petitions.

If the new fee applies per petition, employers filing tens of thousands of H-1B requests annually would face hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs. If it applies per visa holder, the financial effect compounds further.

What is currently known about the proposal?

The WSJ headline does not name the proposing agency. It also does not specify the form the proposal takes — whether an executive order, a regulatory rule, or a legislative bill. The dollar amount is described only as "six-figure." Neither the precise effective date nor the transition period for in-progress petitions appears in the headline.

The lack of detail underscores a recurring pattern. Major changes to U.S. immigration policy often surface first through leaks or partial reports. Employers and foreign workers then recalibrate once the formal text emerges.

How does the H-1B fee structure work today?

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services charges a base filing fee for H-1B petitions. Additional fees layer on for larger employers, premium processing, and certain training obligations. The lottery system, introduced after annual demand exceeded the cap, randomly selects petitions from a pool of registrations each March. Petitions are filed in April. Decisions usually arrive by October 1, the start of the federal fiscal year.

Small employers and non-profit organisations, including universities and research hospitals, currently pay lower base fees than companies with 50 or more workers, more than half of whom are in H-1B or L-1 status.

What remains unclear?

Several questions remain for employers and foreign professionals:

• The exact dollar amount above $99,999
• Whether the fee replaces or supplements existing charges
• The effective date and any grace period
• Whether cap-exempt H-1B petitions, including those filed by academic institutions, fall outside the new fee
• Whether renewals, changes of employer, or amendments carry the same fee

Until the official text is published, sponsors should continue to follow existing USCIS fee schedules and filing procedures.

What's next?

The Wall Street Journal report signals the proposal stage. Any rule would typically proceed through publication in the Federal Register. Depending on its form, the proposal may also face congressional review or a public comment period. Immigration practitioners usually track Federal Register notices for fee adjustments.

Readers should monitor the Federal Register, USCIS announcements, and the Department of Homeland Security press releases for the official publication.