The U.S. administration of Donald Trump has raised the so-called "specialty occupation visa" (H-1B) fee to $100,000 per person per year (about 140 million won), putting corporations that employ large numbers of foreign professionals on high alert.
According to Reuters on the 19th (local time), Microsoft (MS) notified H-1B visa holders via an internal email that they "must remain in the United States for the time being." The H-1B visa is issued for professionals in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
MS also advised that holders of H-4 visas, which are issued to the families of H-1B holders, must likewise stay in the United States. In particular, those currently overseas with H-1B and H-4 visas were strongly urged to "return to the United States by the 20th," which was reported as a strong recommendation to come back. This is interpreted to mean they should complete entry before the new visa regime goes into full effect.
Reuters reported that an outside immigration counsel for investment bank JPMorgan sent an email advising H-1B visa holders to "refrain from international travel until further guidance is issued, and if you are already outside the United States, you must return by 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 21."
That day, the Trump administration increased the H-1B visa application fee to $100,000, 100 times the previous $1,000 (about 1.4 million won). The amount is per person per year, and the same fee must be paid annually to renew for the duration of stay. To complete the maximum six-year stay, it means the individual applying for the visa or the company employing the individual must pay a total of $600,000.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said at the proclamation signing ceremony, "At renewal or at the start, the company must decide whether this person is worth paying the government $100,000."