The Trump regime is making the H-1B programme pathway more expensive, more selective, and more precarious - one policy measure at a time.
The $1 lakh fee for new H-1B workers was the dramatic opening salvo. Announced in September 2025, the levy was justified to curb abuse of the programme and protect US workers. As it turned out, most employers were reluctant to pay this fee, paving the pathway for alternate approaches, like sponsoring students undergoing optional practical training (OPT) for a H-1B visa, or poaching existing H-1B employees.
