The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed raising the H-1B visa application fee to $103,265, according to a notice published in the Federal Register on Monday, reviving a levy that was imposed last year before being struck down by the courts.
The proposed regulation also targets the F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, part of a broader push by the Trump administration to overhaul work-visa costs.
Steep Costs For Workers And Students
Corporate immigration services firm Fragomen said the changes, if implemented, would sharply raise the cost of working in the US for foreign nationals, for students transitioning from universities into jobs, and for employers sponsoring H-1B staff, NDTV reported.
The proposal carries particular weight for India, which accounts for more than 70% of all H-1B beneficiaries. Of the 399,402 H-1B petitions approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2024, Indian-born applicants made up 71%.
Where The Proposal Stands
Fragomen noted that both measures have already moved through the White House Office of Management and Budget, with the OPT fee rule submitted for review on 20 August and the H-1B fee rule clearing review a day earlier.
The firm said the OPT application fee could be set at $100,000, and that the H-1B fee proposal may be linked to an ongoing legal challenge over the administration's earlier, blocked $100,000 petition fee.
ALSO READ: Trump Plans Another $100,000 H-1B Fee In New Proposal: Report
The full contents of both proposals remain confidential ahead of their official release.
H-1B Workers Could Lose 60-Day Grace Period
Separately, the DHS has proposed scrapping the 60-day grace period currently available to H-1B workers who lose their jobs.
If finalised, the change would require workers and their dependents to leave the US almost immediately once their sponsoring employment ends, rather than being allowed a two-month window to find new sponsorship or change status.
ALSO READ: H-1B, OPT Visas Could Get Pricier: Inside The Potential $100,000 Fee Shock For Indian Techies
Impact On The Indian Community
The proposed fee hikes and tightened grace period could weigh heavily on India's large presence in the US workforce.
More than 5.2 million people of Indian origin live in the United States, according to recent estimates based on US Census data, making Indian nationals among the groups most exposed to the administration's tightening of skilled-visa rules.
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