U.S. businesses and hospitals oppose proposed $103,265 H-1B visa fee

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major healthcare organizations are opposing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposal to impose a $103,265 fee on H-1B visa petitions subject to the annual numerical quota.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce submitted comments arguing that the prohibitive fee structure could make the program inaccessible to most American employers. The Chamber expressed concerns regarding the rule's statutory authority, its economic analysis, and its disproportionate impact on small and mid-sized businesses.

Simultaneously, the American Hospital Association is urging the administration to exempt medical professionals from the fee. Healthcare organizations warn that the additional cost could make recruiting foreign-trained doctors financially impractical, potentially exacerbating staffing shortages in hospitals, particularly in rural and underserved areas. DHS estimates the proposed fee could generate approximately $8.8 billion annually if applied to 85,000 cap-subject petitions.