The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed a permanent fee of $103,265 for new H-1B visas issued to highly skilled foreign workers.
The proposed measure could significantly increase the cost of employing foreign professionals for technology companies, educational institutions and research organisations.
The US Department of Homeland Security published the proposed regulation in the Federal Register, seeking to formalise a temporary fee introduced by the Trump administration last year.
The earlier fee was challenged in court, with a federal judge ruling in June that the charge was unlawful and blocking its collection. The decision is currently under appeal.
The temporary fee is scheduled to expire in September, but the new regulation, if finalised, could come into effect before the end of the year.
The H-1B programme enables US employers to employ foreign workers in specialised occupations. It currently provides 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 available to foreign workers holding advanced degrees.
H-1B visas are generally valid for three to six years.
Before the Trump administration’s fee increase, applicants typically paid between $2,000 and $5,000 in related fees.
Under the proposed regulation, the new $103,265 charge would apply to new H-1B visas but not to foreign students already in the United States on student visas or to renewals of existing H-1B visas.
A significant number of new H-1B recipients are foreign students already studying in the US.
The proposed revenue would be used to support the US legal immigration system, including immigration courts and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the H-1B programme is being used by companies to displace American workers.
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