If you’re running a business and trying to bring in specialized talent from overseas, you’ve probably noticed the sticker shock by now. The government basically tore up the old rulebook. Hiring a foreign professional isn't just about finding the right skills anymore; it’s about having a massive budget for the paperwork alone. Honestly, the H-1B visa fee hike that kicked in during 2024 and 2025 has completely shifted the math for everyone from Silicon Valley giants to small-town tech shops.
It's expensive. Really expensive.
For years, the filing fees for the H-1B—the "workhorse" of the U.S. immigration system—stayed relatively flat. Then the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dropped a final rule that sent costs skyrocketing. We aren't just talking about a little inflation adjustment here. Some fees jumped by 70%, and that was just the beginning of the chaos. By late 2025, a presidential proclamation added a $100,000 "entry fee" for certain new visas, a move that left HR departments and immigration lawyers scrambling to figure out who actually has to pay it.
The Reality of the H-1B Visa Fee Hike
Let’s look at the numbers because they’re honestly a bit staggering. Before the 2024 rule change, the base filing fee for a Form I-129 (the petition for the worker) was $460. Now? If you’re a "large" employer—meaning you have more than 25 full-time equivalent employees—that base fee is $780. That’s a 70% increase right out of the gate.
But wait, there’s more.
USCIS also tacked on a brand-new "Asylum Program Fee." Every time you file an I-129 or an I-140 (for green cards), you have to pay this. For large companies, it’s $600. For small companies (25 or fewer employees), it’s $300. Nonprofits get a pass on this specific fee, but they still have to deal with the other increases.
Why the Price Tag is Exploding
USCIS is roughly 96% fee-funded. They don't get a huge check from Congress to stay afloat. According to their own data, the agency was losing money because the old fees didn't cover the actual cost of processing applications or managing the massive backlogs. The H-1B visa fee hike was designed to generate an extra $1.14 billion a year.
The goal? Faster processing. Better tech. Fewer piles of paper sitting in a warehouse.
Whether it’s actually working is a different story. If you want "Premium Processing"—which gets you an answer in 15 business days instead of months—you’re now looking at $2,805. That’s up from $2,500. And "business days" is the key phrase there. It used to be 15 calendar days. Now, weekends and holidays don't count, so you're actually waiting longer while paying more.
The $100,000 Elephant in the Room
In September 2025, things got weird. A presidential proclamation introduced a $100,000 fee for certain new H-1B visas. This wasn't a standard USCIS rule; it was a directive aimed at "restricting entry."
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The confusion was instant. People were literally cancelling flights.
The good news? It doesn't apply to everyone. USCIS later clarified that this massive fee is mostly targeted at people outside the U.S. who don't already have a valid visa. If you’re a student here on an F-1 visa changing to H-1B, or if you’re just extending your current H-1B with the same boss, you’re usually in the clear. But for a company trying to recruit a niche engineer directly from Bangalore or London, that $100,000 price tag is a total game-changer.
It’s currently tied up in the courts, but for now, it hangs over the industry like a dark cloud.
Breaking Down the Total Cost
If you’re a big company filing a new H-1B with premium processing, here is what your credit card statement looks like:
- Base Fee (I-129): $780
- Asylum Program Fee: $600
- Fraud Prevention Fee: $500
- ACWIA (Training) Fee: $1,500
- Premium Processing: $2,805
- Registration Fee (for the lottery): $215 (starting in 2025)
Total? Over $6,400. And that is before you pay a single dollar to an immigration attorney or consider that potential $100,000 entry fee if the worker is abroad.
Small Businesses and Nonprofits Get a (Small) Break
The government knows these numbers are brutal for small startups. To keep the doors open for smaller players, they created a tiered system.
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If you have 25 or fewer employees, your base I-129 fee stays at $460. Your Asylum Fee is halved to $300. It’s still more expensive than it used to be, but it’s not the total blowout that the big tech firms are facing. Nonprofits also get some significant breaks, often paying $0 for the Asylum Fee and the lower tier for the base petition.
The Lottery Just Got Pricey Too
Remember when the H-1B lottery registration was $10? It was basically free. That led to a massive amount of "gaming" the system, where people would submit dozens of registrations for the same person to increase their odds.
USCIS fixed that with a two-pronged approach. First, they moved to a "beneficiary-centric" system—one person, one entry, no matter how many companies sign up for them. Second, they jacked the registration fee from $10 up to $215.
If you’re a high-volume recruiter, that change alone is huge.
Actionable Steps for Employers in 2026
The days of "file and see" are over. You need a strategy.
1. Audit your headcount immediately.
Since the fees depend on whether you have more or fewer than 25 employees, you need to be exact. USCIS counts "full-time equivalents." If you’re hovering around the 25-person mark, hiring one more person could suddenly make your next H-1B petition thousands of dollars more expensive.
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2. Shift to online filing where possible.
USCIS is desperate to get off paper. They offer a $50 discount for many forms filed online. It sounds small, but when you’re filing dozens of applications, it adds up. Plus, the system catches basic errors that would get a paper application rejected instantly.
3. Budget for the "Hidden" Green Card costs.
If you plan on keeping your H-1B worker long-term, remember the fee hike hit the I-140 and I-485 forms too. The days of "bundled" fees—where you paid one price for the green card, work permit, and travel document—are gone. Each piece now has its own separate (and higher) fee.
4. Screen for "Change of Status" candidates.
Because of that $100,000 entry fee risk for people outside the country, it is much safer (and cheaper) to hire people already in the U.S. Look for international students on OPT or workers already on an H-1B looking to transfer.
5. Prep for the March Lottery in January.
With the registration fee now at $215, you don't want to waste money on candidates who aren't a 100% fit. Vet your candidates early so you aren't throwing thousands of dollars at the lottery for people who might not even accept the job offer.
The H-1B visa fee hike has made the U.S. immigration system one of the most expensive in the world. It’s a "pay to play" environment now. If you want the talent, you’ve gotta be ready to write the check.