Trump Imposes $100K Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches “Gold Card”

Trump Slaps $100K Fee on H-1B Visas and Unveils “Gold Card” Immigration Pathway

President Donald Trump has thrown another curveball into the already heated debate over U.S. immigration policy. On Friday, Trump signed an executive action imposing a staggering $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, a dramatic escalation aimed, he says, at curbing “overuse” of the program while ensuring American workers remain a priority.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump framed the move as both protective and selective. “We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen,” he declared. In practice, the rule means that foreign workers and the companies that depend on them will now face an unprecedented financial barrier before accessing the visa program.

ALSO READ: U.S. Birthright Citizenship Crackdown 2025

What the H-1B Visa Program Does — and Why It Matters

The H-1B visa is one of the most sought-after work visas in the U.S., allowing highly skilled foreign workers, especially in tech, to live and work in America for three years, with an option to extend for another three. Roughly 65,000 H-1B visas are granted annually, with an additional 20,000 earmarked for those holding advanced U.S. degrees.

For decades, companies, particularly in Silicon Valley, have argued that the program helps fill gaps in America’s talent pool, keeping the country competitive and creating jobs. Critics, however, accuse firms of abusing the system by hiring cheaper foreign labor at the expense of U.S. workers. Trump has oscillated between supporting and attacking the program. During his first term, he repeatedly restricted access, accusing corporations of replacing Americans with foreign workers. Yet during the 2024 campaign, he softened his tone, even suggesting foreign graduates from U.S. universities should have a pathway to legal status.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick explained that the administration settled on the $100,000 annual fee (plus vetting costs) after discussions with industry leaders. The Department of Homeland Security is still hammering out the logistics, including whether the fee will be collected all at once ($300,000 upfront for the initial three years) or annually. Either way, the price tag dramatically reshapes the calculus for companies dependent on foreign talent. For smaller firms and startups, the cost may be prohibitive. For tech giants, it could mean rethinking recruitment strategies or passing costs down the line.

Enter the “Gold Card” — Immigration for the Ultra-Wealthy

In a parallel move, Trump unveiled a new “gold card” pathway, designed to fast-track immigration for those who can afford it. Under the scheme:

• Individuals can pay $1 million to expedite their own visa process.
• Companies can pay $2 million to fast-track a foreign worker’s entry.

Trump and Lutnick pitched the program as a way to attract “extraordinary” individuals and top-tier talent. Lutnick bluntly criticized the existing green card system, claiming it allows America to take in the “bottom quartile” of foreign workers. “We’re going to only take extraordinary people at the very top,” Lutnick said, calling the gold card a tool to tilt U.S. immigration toward high earners and entrepreneurs.

Interestingly, Trump’s latest stance exposes a rift within his own base. Prominent business leaders like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have defended the H-1B program, highlighting its role in innovation and economic growth. But hardcore immigration restrictionists, many of them MAGA loyalists, have long pushed for the program’s elimination, accusing it of undermining American labor. Trump himself has straddled this divide: praising H-1Bs at times while wielding them as a symbol of what he sees as a broken immigration system.

Who Wins, Who Loses?

The consequences of this new policy could ripple across multiple sectors:

• Winners: Wealthy foreign entrepreneurs who can afford the gold card; U.S. workers in industries where companies may now be forced to hire locally.
• Losers: Smaller tech companies and foreign professionals who might have qualified for an H-1B but now face crushing financial hurdles.

Economists warn that while the move might play well politically, it risks shrinking America’s access to global talent, a move that could backfire in sectors where domestic supply simply doesn’t meet demand.

This move is part of Trump’s broader crackdown on immigration in his second term, where the focus has shifted from just illegal immigration to reshaping legal immigration itself. The $100K H-1B fee and the gold card program represent a two-pronged strategy: raise the bar for entry, but roll out the red carpet for the ultra-rich.

Whether this will protect American workers or stifle innovation is a question that only time, and the job market, can answer. But one thing is clear: under Trump, U.S. immigration policy is being radically redefined, with money now serving as the ultimate filter.