President Donald Trump has moved to sharply raise the price of hiring high-skilled foreign workers and to create a new, donation-funded path to U.S. residency for the wealthy, steps that together recast the economics of legal immigration.
A White House proclamation directs the Department of Homeland Security to restrict decisions on H-1B petitions not accompanied by a $100,000 payment, at least for cases where the worker is outside the United States, for 12 months after the order takes effect.
In a separate action, the administration launched a Gold Card program that offers an expedited immigrant visa process after a $1 million gift to the U.S. government, or $2 million if paid by a sponsoring corporation on someone’s behalf.
The fact sheet describes coordination among Commerce, State and Homeland Security and frames the gift as evidence that an applicant would substantially benefit the United States.
The H-1B fee marks an extraordinary break with the longstanding structure of program charges, which are currently a mix of registration, filing and fraud-prevention fees that total a tiny fraction of six figures.
The proclamation’s language ties the $100,000 payment to petition decisions for those outside the country and sets a one-year window, leaving open key questions about whether the new cost will be due annually, only at filing, or at each extension, and how it would apply to workers already in the United States.
Those details will hinge on DHS and USCIS implementation.
The Gold Card is the clearest signal that the administration wants to tilt the system toward capital and away from employer-sponsored talent.
Unlike the existing EB-5 investor visa, which is rooted in job-creation requirements and regulated investment vehicles, the Gold Card is structured around an unrestricted gift to the government followed by an expedited adjudication.
The move comes as WLFI debut lifts Trump family.
The administration says the program will be run to the extent consistent with law and subject to security checks.
Business groups and universities that rely on H-1Bs now face stark choices.
The new price point could curtail recruiting of international graduates and push more high-value work to teams overseas for large technology companies.
The added cost competes directly with hiring budgets and runway, particularly in fields like artificial intelligence and biotech where specialized talent is scarce for startups.
Research institutions that employ postdocs and specialized staff through H-1Bs may have to rework grant economics.
The immediate uncertainty over duration and renewals complicates planning even for firms willing to pay.
Canada and Mexico could become bigger beneficiaries of talent diversion if U.S. costs rise. Canadian tech hubs have already marketed themselves as alternatives when U.S. visa policies tighten.
A material pullback in H-1B usage would ripple through North American supply chains and professional services, where cross-border teams often depend on mobility between client sites.
Legal fights are a near certainty. Congress sets immigration fees in many contexts, and courts will scrutinize whether a presidential proclamation can effectively add a six-figure payment to a statutory visa category.
Lawsuits are also likely to probe whether conditioning petition decisions on a payment for selected locations or time frames violates administrative law or equal protection principles.
The administration will argue that it is exercising broad authority over entry and national interest determinations, as it did with prior restrictions and proclamations.
The near-term checklist is straightforward and urgent. Review pending or planned H-1B filings that involve workers abroad and model scenarios with and without the payment for employers.
Map exposure for extensions and amendments that could trigger new petitions. Consider alternatives such as transferring work to affiliates outside the United States or shifting candidates into other visa categories where feasible.
For wealthy individuals and corporations evaluating the Gold Card, the policy’s promise of speed sits alongside open questions about immigrant intent, tax consequences, and how adjudicators will weigh the gift as evidence for EB-class eligibility.
The headline change is the price; if the $100,000 payment becomes a functional prerequisite for decisions on H-1B petitions, the H-1B will move from an employer-driven tool for filling critical roles to a budget line that boards and investors will need to debate.
The Gold Card, meanwhile, creates a direct line between government coffers and immigration benefits that few expected to see in the United States.
Both will define the next phase of the immigration economy unless courts or Congress intervene.
