The Trump administration is moving to sharply raise fees for US H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, with a proposed charge of $103,265. The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to publish the proposed rules, which appeared in the Federal Register on Monday. The plans also include a new fee for Optional Practical Training, or OPT, for F-1 students.

Immigration consulting firm Fragomen said the proposals would significantly increase the cost of employing foreign workers in the United States. Indian nationals could face the largest impact because they account for more than 70 percent of H-1B beneficiaries. USCIS data show that 399,402 H-1B applications were approved in 2024, with people of Indian origin comprising about 71 percent of beneficiaries.

Fragomen said an approximately $100,000 fee could also be proposed for OPT applicants. The OPT proposal was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review on August 20, while a proposal covering certain H-1B applications reached the office on August 19. DHS has also proposed ending the existing 60-day grace period for H-1B workers who lose their jobs.