Walmart, the largest U.S. retailer, has reportedly put on hold the hiring of foreign nationals who need H-1B visas. It is seen as the real-world impact of President Donald Trump's sharp increase in fees for new H-1B applications.
According to CNN and other foreign media on the 21st local time, Walmart recently paused hiring foreign nationals who must hold H-1B visas. The H-1B is a work visa introduced to employ foreign professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields where there are not enough skilled U.S. workers.
Government data show Walmart has the highest number of H-1B holders among major retailers, at about 2,390, mainly at headquarters and in office roles. While that is a tiny fraction of its 1.6 million employees in the United States, it is seen as a setback for securing global talent.
A Walmart Spokesperson said, "We are committed to hiring and investing in top talent to provide the best service to customers," adding, "We are carefully reviewing our hiring policies related to H-1B."
Previously, the Trump administration decided last month to impose a $100,000 fee on new applicants under the banner of overhauling the H-1B program. The H-1B issuance fee that corporations previously paid per worker was about $5,000, meaning the price has jumped nearly 20-fold.
The turmoil is effectively spreading across industry, and a stronger backlash is expected in sectors that rely heavily on overseas talent, particularly IT and research. For example, Amazon employed more than 10,000 H-1B holders for fiscal 2025, and Microsoft (MS), Meta, Apple, and Google each received more than 4,000 H-1B approvals.
The administration cited preventing abuse of the system and protecting skilled workers in the United States, but corporations are voicing displeasure at the erratic policy stance. Some H-1B holders say, "We have been living and working legally, but the policy keeps changing and is impossible to predict," while corporations point out that "visa quotas and high costs are severely limiting the ability to staff up."
Eventually, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit over the Trump administration's move. Neal Bradley, an executive vice president at the Chamber, criticized, "A $100,000 visa fee makes it virtually impossible for Start - Up and mid-sized corporations to secure global talent," adding, "The H-1B system was designed so corporations of all sizes in the United States can hire the talent needed for growth."
The White House countered, "This measure is a gradual step toward reforming the H-1B system and is legally justified," but experts warned that the overhaul could seriously hit industry across the board, including technology, education, and health care.
John Beach, dean of the business school at Notre Dame de Namur University, warned, "The $100,000 amount appears to have been set somewhat arbitrarily," adding, "With changes to the H-1B system coinciding with advances in artificial intelligence, there is a possibility that the workforce structure of small and medium-sized companies will be fundamentally shaken."