Don't panic: $100K fee hits only new H-1B petitions

"When President Trump signed the "Restriction on entry of certain nonimmigrant workers" proclamation on Friday, several companies issued alerts to H-1B staff telling them not to leave the US and to return if they were overseas, while there were reports of passengers rushing to get off flights leaving the country."

"In a video on Friday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said of the visas, "They're $100,000 per year. So the whole idea is no more will these big tech companies, or other big companies, train foreign workers. They have to pay the government $100,000 then they have to pay the employee." That statement led to worries that the coming year would be very expensive for companies that already have a lot of H-1B employees."

"On Saturday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS) and Customs and Border Protection issued clarifications of their own, saying that existing H-1B visa holders' current status was unchanged and applications made before September 21 would be processed normally. They added that the government does not prevent any current H-1B holder from traveling in and out of the US. USCIS said in its fact sheet that the $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B petitions, and that renewals and existing H-1B holders will not be charged. Furthermore, the proclamation directs DHS to pursue rulemaking to prioritize higher-paid, higher-skilled applicants in future H-1B lotteries."

A presidential proclamation restricted entry of certain nonimmigrant workers, triggering immediate alerts from companies and reports of travelers rushing to avoid departure. A government official stated the visas would cost $100,000 per year for employers, prompting widespread concern about corporate costs. The White House, USCIS, and CBP clarified that current H-1B holders keep existing status and that applications filed before September 21 will be processed normally. USCIS specified the $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B petitions, renewals and existing holders will not be charged, and DHS is directed to pursue rulemaking to prioritize higher-paid, higher-skilled applicants.

Read at Theregister