H-1B Visa Fee Hike: The US Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration over the exorbitant fee of $100,000 (approximately ₹83 lakh) for new H-1B visas, which the chamber has called “illegal and unfair.”
US Chamber of Commerce (US Chamber of Commerce), America’s largest business lobbying groupUS Chamber of Commerce) President Donald Trump (Donald Trump) has filed a lawsuit against the administration. The issue at issue is—H-1B visaThe hefty fee of $100,000 (about ₹83 lakh) for the same, which the Chamber has termed “illegal and unfair”.
What is the matter?
The US Chamber of Commerce filed a petition in federal court on Thursday, arguing that the fee violates provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The group has requested an injunction temporarily blocking the fee from being implemented.
“This new $100,000 fee will make it nearly impossible for American companies, especially startups and small and medium-sized businesses, to hire foreign talent. The very purpose of the H-1B program was to allow American companies to hire qualified talent from around the world,” said Neil Bradley, the Chamber’s executive vice president.
What will be the impact on the H-1B program?
This fee will particularly impact tech companies, as they are the largest users of H-1B visas. Amazon hired 10,044 foreign workers on H-1B visas between 2009 and June 2025. Microsoft hired 5,189, and Meta (Facebook) hired 5,123.
The Chamber says its member institutions (which include companies like Amazon, Alphabet, Meta) are already employing H-1B visa holders and want to continue doing so.
White House response
The White House said in its statement that this policy of the Trump administration is a step towards legal and necessary reforms.
“President Trump promised to prioritize American workers. This move delivers on that promise by reducing the pressure on American wages caused by an influx of foreign workers,” said White House Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers.
Why was the lawsuit filed?
The US Chamber said in its petition that this fee violates the H-1B fee structure set by Congress.
“This new Trump administration policy changes the fees established by Congress for the H-1B program. It also contradicts the purpose for which the H-1B program was created—to provide 85,000 qualified foreign professionals the opportunity to work in the United States each year,” the petition states.
The case was considered earlier as well
The Chamber of Commerce had previously considered suing the Trump administration over its tariff policies, but did not do so. This time, it first consulted its members and ultimately decided to file the lawsuit on its own.
Chamber’s stance: No confrontation, demand for reform
In the statement, the Chamber praised Trump’s border security policies, saying, “The President has said he wants to educate, attract, and retain the world’s most talented people in the United States — and the Chamber wants that too.”
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