Trump's $100,000 H-1B Fee Sparks Global Talent War

Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump's move to charge an application fee of $100,000 on H-1B visas has shaken global labor markets, with analysts labeling it both a test for American business and a call to action for competing economies.

The policy, coming into effect from Sunday, increases expenses significantly for companies looking to hire skilled foreign workers. Though Big Tech employers like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google are dependent on H-1B holders, analysts argue that the step could help places like the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia attract displaced talent.

This would be costly in terms of innovation" for the U.S., said Charles-Henry Monchau, Syz Group chief investment officer, who added that other economies now have a "golden opportunity" to attract skilled professionals.

British officials are said to be considering reductions in visa fees for leading talent, while domestic startups consider the U.S. upheaval an opportunity to establish London as a global center. "Trump has given Europe the best opportunity," venture capitalist Harry Stebbings said, calling on Britain to expedite H-1B holders.

Some U.S. executives, however, downplayed the impact. Metaview CTO Shahriar Tajbakhsh called the fee “a rounding error” compared with the value top engineers generate, even as his firm encouraged applications from skilled professionals.

India, one of the largest sources of H-1B talent, criticized the policy as likely to have “humanitarian consequences.”