The Trump administration has proposed a $103,265 fee for each of the 85,000 new H-1B applicants from abroad each year, potentially raising the total cost to $203,265 if President Donald Trump’s separate $100,000 fee is upheld. H-1B visas allow foreign workers in specialty occupations to work in the United States, with technology companies, universities and health-care organizations among the major users. Applications from abroad fell 87% after the administration imposed the $100,000 fee in September 2025. The initial charge generated $8.5 million from 85 applicants during its first five months, but the decline in applications meant the government collected $28 million less over that period. A federal judge ruled the fee unlawful in June, and the Justice Department has appealed; the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to block that ruling in July, leaving the fee uncollected for now. Homeland Security says the proposed charge would generate $8.8 billion over a decade to support immigration-system costs, while critics warn it could damage innovation, worsen labor shortages and push jobs overseas. Public comments are open through Sept. 24.