Trump’s $100,000 H-1B overhaul could hit tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft hardest
A federal proposal would tie H-1B awards to higher salaries and reserve petitions for more advanced roles, while a separate one-time $100,000 fee applies to new applications.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled a proposed rule to overhaul how H-1B visas are awarded, aiming to nudge employers toward offering higher salaries or reserving petitions for jobs that require advanced skills. The measure accompanies a separate proclamation imposing a $100,000 one-time fee on new H-1B applications, and would be implemented in the next annual lottery if finalized.
Under current practice, H-1B visas are distributed through an annual lottery when the cap is reached. The proposed rule would weigh qualification more toward wage levels and job complexity, aiming to reward higher-skilled roles and reduce petitions for roles deemed less specialized. The administration says the changes would help ensure that the program serves as a pathway to higher wages for U.S. workers and focuses on occupations that truly require specialized expertise. The annual cap for H-1B petitions is 85,000, with an additional set-aside for individuals with advanced degrees. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says the cap was reached in July, triggering the lottery in the coming cycle. The one-time fee will take effect in the next annual lottery.
USCIS data covering 2024 through mid-2025 show Amazon Corp. remained the largest recipient of H-1B visas among major employers, with 19,301 approvals. Microsoft followed with 9,914; Apple had 8,075; and Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and HCLTech also held sizable U.S. presences that translate into substantial H-1B activity. The mix underscores how non-U.S.-based, India-origin tech and consulting firms together with U.S. giants dominate visa approvals in this program. Cognizant, though headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey, began as part of an Indian company and maintains deep ties to India’s tech sector. Since June, the top recipients of H-1B visas have largely been tech firms, with JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, and Deloitte among the other major users of the program.
Microsoft declined to comment on the proposed rule. Several other companies listed in the data did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The broader context includes a year marked by a push to align immigration policy with labor-market goals and a separate emphasis on artificial intelligence and technology policy that has brought presidents and chief executives to the White House for meetings and discussions on how to shape the sector’s future. The policy changes come as lawmakers and officials seek to balance attracting global talent with ensuring domestic job growth and wage gains.
The rule would be published in the Federal Register if finalized, starting a public-comment period and a path toward potential revision before becoming effective in the next H-1B lottery cycle. In the meantime, the government continues to operate the existing system under which employers file petitions and compete for a limited number of visas each year. The combination of a high upfront fee and a different selection calculus could affect hiring plans for some large tech employers and outsourcing firms that rely on H-1B workers to staff specialized roles across software engineering, data science, and related disciplines.
