You’ve just landed an incredible job offer from your dream U.S. tech company, with a competitive salary of $120,000. But as you prepare for your new life, a shocking new rule emerges: a $100,000 fee that could derail everything. This isn’t a hypothetical; it’s a major new reality for H-1B visas starting September 2025. Before you celebrate that offer, you must understand this critical change, who it impacts, and how to navigate it.
A Major Change to the H-1B Visa Program
A recent Presidential Proclamation, effective from September 21, 2025, has created a major new condition for many applicants. For new H-1B petitions filed on or after that date, the sponsoring employer must now pay an additional $100,000 fee for beneficiaries who are outside the U.S. and do not already hold a valid H-1B visa.
Note: This fee does not apply to everyone. It primarily affects new hires from abroad. People already working in the U.S. on an H-1B visa, or those applying for an extension or change of employer, are generally not subject to this cost.
Top H-1B Visa Sponsoring Companies
This table lists U.S. companies with a strong track record of sponsoring H-1B visas, based on recent data. Focusing your job search on such companies can increase your chances of finding a sponsor.
How to Research Sponsoring Employers Yourself
Official data can help you identify potential sponsors beyond well-known companies. The U.S. government provides two key tools for this:
- H-1B Employer Data Hub (USCIS): This is the official searchable database where you can find which employers have filed H-1B petitions. You can search by employer name, location, or industry code.
- E-Verify List of Employers: Companies that use the E-Verify system voluntarily, often to comply with certain work authorization rules, can also be a good place to look for employers familiar with hiring non-citizens.
Understanding H-1B Basics and Process
Before you start applying, it’s important to understand the fundamentals:
- What is the H-1B? It is a visa for jobs in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a specific field, such as IT, engineering, science, or business.
- The Annual Cap: There is an annual limit of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 for those with a U.S. master’s or higher degree. For the 2026 fiscal year, this cap has already been reached.
- The Registration & Lottery Process: To be considered for the cap, your prospective employer must first register you in an electronic system during a specified period (typically in March). If your registration is selected in the random lottery, your employer can then file the full petition.
- Upcoming Selection Change: Starting with the FY 2027 registration season (in early 2026), a new “weighted selection” rule will favor registrations for higher-skilled and higher-paid workers
Conclusion
The H-1B program is entering a period of significant transformation. The new $100,000 fee for certain overseas hires, effective September 2025, will likely reshape employer hiring strategies, potentially making them more selective and inclined toward candidates already in the U.S. Simultaneously, the upcoming shift to a “weighted selection” lottery favors registrations for higher-skilled, higher-paid roles, aligning the program with U.S. economic priorities.
For prospective applicants, this underscores the importance of a strategic, informed approach. Focus your job search on established sponsors with a proven track record, leverage official tools like the USCIS Data Hub to identify opportunities, and aim for positions that command strong, competitive salaries. While the path has new hurdles, understanding these rules and targeting your efforts effectively remains the key to unlocking your American career dream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who exactly has to pay the new $100,000 fee?
The fee applies to employers filing a new H-1B petition on or after September 21, 2025, for a beneficiary who is outside the United States and does not already hold a valid H-1B visa. It primarily affects new hires from abroad.
What is the new “weighted selection” for the H-1B lottery?
Starting with the FY 2027 registration period (in early 2026), the lottery will move from a system where each registration has an equal chance to one where each unique beneficiary is entered once, regardless of how many job offers they have. This “one person, one chance” system is designed to reduce misuse and favor candidates with higher skill levels and salary offerings.
