Government & Policy
Big Tech Firms, Foreign Governments React as Trump Imposes $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Published: Sat, Sep 20, 2025, 12:28 PM EDT | Updated: 5 hours ago
Main Points
● President Donald Trump late Friday unveiled plans to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas
● The move could deal a massive blow to companies — primarily in the technology and finance sectors — that rely heavily on highly skilled immigrants
● Amazon had the highest number of H-1B employees — exceeding 14,000 by the end of June.
● Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google are also among the top 10 recipients for the fiscal year 2025.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., seated beside a sign reading “Trump Gold Card,” on Sept. 19, 2025.
KEY POINTS
Major technology firms and foreign governments are scrambling to react after President Donald Trump announced late Friday a plan to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, a move that could disrupt the program supporting America’s tech workforce.
According to a White House official, the fee will apply only to new H-1B applicants, not to renewals or existing holders. It will take effect in the upcoming lottery cycle but will not impact winners of the 2025 lottery. The official also clarified that the $100,000 fee is a one-time charge, not an annual payment, countering earlier reports by several media outlets.
The decision could deliver a significant setback to companies — especially in the technology and finance industries — that depend heavily on highly skilled immigrants, particularly from India and China.
The announcement has sent shockwaves across some of the nation’s largest tech and finance firms:
● Amazon’s immigration team has advised H-1B and H-4 visa holders to stay in the U.S., and urged those currently abroad to return before 12:01 a.m. ET on Sept. 21, according to internal messages reviewed by CNBC.
● JPMorgan Chase’s law firm issued a memo advising H-1B visa holders at the company to stay in the U.S. and refrain from international travel until further instructions, according to a source familiar with the matter.
● Goldman Sachs advised its H-1B visa-holding employees to exercise caution with international travel, following guidance from the immigration services firm Fragomen, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters.
● Microsoft has reportedly instructed H-1B visa holders to stay in the U.S., and urged those abroad to return, cautioning that international travel could put their immigration status at risk, according to emails reviewed by Reuters.
The fee marks the administration’s most aggressive effort to limit legal immigration to date. Since taking office in January, Trump has pushed for a wide-ranging crackdown on both illegal and legal entry into the U.S., but Friday’s announcement represents the most significant move to restrict employment-based visas.
Amazon leads in H-1B employment, with over 14,000 holders as of the end of June. Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google each had more than 4,000 H-1B visas, placing them among the top 10 recipients for fiscal year 2025.
Leading 10 H-1B Visa Recipients for FY 2025 (Q1–Q3)
Here’s a rewritten version of your table in a clear format:
Top 10 H-1B Visa Recipients in FY 2025 (Q1–Q3)
Rank Company H-1B Visa Holders
1 Amazon 14,365
2 Tata Consultancy Services 5,505
3 Microsoft 5,189
4 Meta Platforms 5,123
5 Apple 4,202
6 Google 4,181
7 Cognizant Technology Solutions 2,493
8 JPMorgan Chase 2,440
9 Walmart 2,390
10 D
eloitte 2,353
Note: Federal fiscal years start in October of the previous year.
Amazon figures include subsidiaries such as Amazon.com Services, Amazon Web Services, Amazon Data Services, and others.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Data as of: June 30, 20
25
H-1B Visa Fee Sparks Reactions from Companies and White House
CNBC has contacted all public companies on the top 10 H-1B recipient list for comment. The White House did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.
“President Trump promised to put American workers first, and this commonsense action does exactly that by discouraging companies from exploiting the system and suppressing wages,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told CNBC. “It also provides certainty to American businesses that genuinely want to bring high-skilled workers to our great country but have been affected by abuses of the system.”
“Humanitarian consequences”
The announcement also unsettled the international landscape, prompting foreign governments to evaluate how the new rules might affect their countries.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it is reviewing the visa restrictions and their potential effects, emphasizing that both Indian and U.S. industries have a shared interest in sustaining innovation competitiveness. The ministry also noted the expected disruption to families.
“This measure could have humanitarian implications due to the disruption it may cause for families. The government hopes the U.S. authorities will address these challenges appropriately,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
South Korea’s foreign ministry likewise confirmed that it is examining the impact on Korean companies and skilled workers.
Below is a searchable list of the top 100 U.S. companies that received H-1B visas in fiscal year 2025.
Top H-1B Visa Recipients in FY 2025 (Q1–Q3)
The table below lists the leading U.S. companies receiving H-1B visas during fiscal year 2025.
Company H-1B Visas Received
Amazon 14,365
Tata Consultancy Services 5,505
Microsoft 5,189
Meta 5,123
Apple 4,202
Google 4,181
Cognizant Technology Solutions U.S. 2,493
JPMorgan Chase 2,440
Wal-Mart 2,390
Deloitte 2,353
Oracle America 2,092
Infosys 2,004
Capgemini America 1,844
LTIMindtree Limited 1,807
HCL America 1,728
Intel 1,698
Ernst & Young U.S. 1,695
IBM 1,598
Cisco Syste
ms 1,570
Accenture 1,568
Note: The U.S. federal fiscal year starts in October of the previous year.
Amazon figures include its subsidiaries such as Amazon Com Services, Amazon Web Services, and Amazon Data Services.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Data current as of: June 30, 2025
This report includes contributions from Annie Palmer of CNBC.
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