US clarifies $100K H‑1B fee, prompts lawsuits

The administration imposed a $100,000 fee on each new H‑1B visa application and clarified the charge applies to new applicants outside the United States, a distinction officials say should reassure current F‑1 students and those changing status domestically. Hospitals, the American Hospital Association and midsize or rural providers have urged exemptions, saying they cannot afford to sponsor needed nurses and specialists, and analyses warn reduced visa flows would disproportionately harm socioeconomically vulnerable counties. The Association of American Universities and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have sued over the fee, arguing it will cripple continuous hiring, research and classroom needs at universities. Supporters say the fee protects American workers and curbs wage pressure in sectors like IT and higher education; critics say it will shrink capacity across health care, science and technology and advantage foreign competitors. Separately proposed measures such as Sen. Tom Cotton’s OPT Fair Tax Act, which would end FICA exemptions for OPT workers, would further raise costs for international students and deepen uncertainty.