US H-1B visa program faces stricter scrutiny and new fees

H-1B visa JD Vance immigration reform workforce layoffs employment visas

Vice President JD Vance has signaled a significant tightening of the H-1B visa program, aimed at preventing companies from using foreign labor to replace American workers. Following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on September 18, federal agencies including the Departments of State, Labor, and Homeland Security are now directed to scrutinize whether employers have recently laid off or plan to lay off U.S. workers when reviewing H-1B petitions.

Vance emphasized that the program should be reserved for exceptional talent that enriches the economy rather than serving as a tool for cost-cutting. To enforce this, the administration is pursuing several administrative measures, including a proposed $100,000 fee for certain H-1B workers entering from outside the U.S. and a potential weighted lottery system to prioritize higher-salary positions.

Regulatory enforcement has already begun. The Department of Labor has suspended Cognizant's ability to submit new PERM applications and has halted H-1B processing for Cloudera. Additionally, five companies—GowraTech LLC, Renotek Group LLC, Seeloz Inc., Sherwood at Mount Dora Inc., and Da Vinci at Hunters Creek Inc.—have been barred or had their H-1B eligibility canceled. These shifts are expected to have substantial implications for Indian technology professionals, who constitute a large portion of H-1B recipients.

Entities

Cognizant · Department of Homeland Security · Department of Labor · Donald Trump · JD Vance · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · U.S. Department of Labor

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The Department of Labor is reviewing previously filed labor condition applications for potential violations. www.singtaousa.com · americanbazaaronline.com · www.news9live.com
[● 5 SOURCES] The administration is proposing a $100,000 fee for certain H-1B workers seeking entry from outside the United States. www.singtaousa.com · www.europesays.com · www.moncloa.com · www.news9live.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The administration is considering a weighted lottery system to prioritize higher-salary H-1B positions. www.singtaousa.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Labor Department's Office of Inspector General has suspended Cognizant's ability to submit new PERM applications. www.singtaousa.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $103,265 fee for H-1B applications subject to annual caps. www.singtaousa.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Five companies, including GowraTech LLC and Renotek Group LLC, have been barred or had their H-1B eligibility canceled. www.singtaousa.com
[● 7 SOURCES] The H-1B visa program should be used to bring exceptional talent to the US rather than replacing American workers with lower-paid foreign labor. www.singtaousa.com · www.europesays.com · www.moncloa.com · americanbazaaronline.com · www.news9live.com
[● 4 SOURCES] President Trump signed an executive order on September 18 directing federal agencies to consider recent or planned layoffs when reviewing H-1B applications. www.singtaousa.com · www.europesays.com · americanbazaaronline.com · www.news9live.com