Story perspectives

DHS Proposes $103,265 Fee for Each H-1B Petition

8/27/2026

Left

DHS Imposes Fee

On August 24 2026, the Department of Homeland Security issued a rule charging employers $103,265 for each cap-subject H-1B visa petition.
The fee is expected to shrink the pool of foreign-trained health-care workers, worsening staffing shortages in hospitals and clinics.
It applies to employers of any size, while universities, research agencies and nonprofits are exempt.
The rule could generate $8.8 billion yearly and accepts comments through September 24 2026.
Implementation could begin as early as March 2027.

Right

DHS Proposes Fee

On August 24 2026, the Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule charging employers $103,265 for each cap-subject H-1B visa petition.
The proposal is framed as a measure to stop perceived abuse that lets cheaper foreign workers replace American employees.
This $103,265 fee also applies to petitions eligible for the advanced-degree exemption.
The administration additionally proposed stricter vetting and a selection system that favors higher-skill, higher-pay workers.

Center

DHS Sets Fee

On August 24 2026, the Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule charging employers $103,265 for each cap-subject H-1B visa petition.
The administration frames the fee as a cost-recovery measure to fund immigration staff—including over 8,400 employees and judges—and to promote hiring U.S. workers.
The rule would recover about $8.8 billion annually, averaging $103,265 per 85,000 cap-subject visas.
Universities, hospitals and research institutions are exempt; Federal Register will open a 30-day comment period.

Blindspot

The Department of Homeland Security estimates the $103,265 fee could cut the supply of foreign-trained health-care workers, deepening staffing shortages in hospitals and clinics, according to the agency’s own projection.
Within this story's sources, this consequence appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning and Right-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

President George H.W. Bush signed the Immigration Act of 1990 on November 29, 1990, creating a 65,000-person H-1B cap with a 20,000 advanced-degree exemption. The Labor Department recorded 140,000 petitions that year, generating about $500 million in fees. Today, DHS proposes a $103,265 fee per cap-subject petition, a fee-based model that could strain hospitals such as the Mayo Clinic.

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DHS Imposes Fee

On August 24 2026, the Department of Homeland Security issued a rule charging employers $103,265 for each cap-subject H-1B visa petition.
The fee is expected to shrink the pool of foreign-trained health-care workers, worsening staffing shortages in hospitals and clinics.
It applies to employers of any size, while universities, research agencies and nonprofits are exempt.
The rule could generate $8.8 billion yearly and accepts comments through September 24 2026.
Implementation could begin as early as March 2027.

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