Trump's $100k H‑1B Fee Sparks Tech Backlash

President Donald Trump's administration has announced a $100,000 fee on H‑1B visa petitions, which the White House says will apply as a one‑time charge to new petitions and is time‑limited rather than an annual levy. Netflix co‑founder Reed Hastings publicly praised the move as a way to reserve visas for “very high‑value jobs,” while major tech firms, industry groups and some former platform employees, including ex‑Twitter/X product director Esther Crawford, warned it will disrupt hiring and sparked immediate alarm. Analysts, university leaders and consultants say the fee could drive Indian and Chinese engineers and students toward alternatives with clearer study‑work‑settlement pathways — such as Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Singapore and the UAE — and prompt companies to offshore roles or slow hiring. Critics note that about 85,000 new H‑1B visas are issued annually and that Indians make up a large share, raising concerns the policy could weaken U.S. competitiveness. Supporters argue the fee will incentivize firms to hire and train American workers first.