Google workers protest $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike, accuse firm of silence
The demonstration followed an urgent internal memo circulated by Google.
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Unionised Google employees staged a protest outside the company’s Lower Manhattan office on Monday, urging the tech giant to publicly oppose President Donald Trump’s executive order that imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications — a 6,600% increase on current costs.
Around 25 members of the Alphabet Workers Union criticised Google for its silence on a policy that has caused widespread disruption across corporate America since its announcement last week, Business Insider reported.
Union President Parul Koul told Business Insider that Google is one of the most powerful companies in the world, and they have yet to say anything about what’s happened and really take a stand and side with their own workers.
The demonstration followed an urgent internal memo circulated by Google via its immigration law firm BAL, instructing H-1B visa holders abroad to return to the US immediately or risk complications with re-entry. The White House later clarified the new fee applies only to first-time applicants.
The issue is particularly significant for Google, which applied for nearly 5,500 H-1B visas in 2024. At the rally, 29-year-old software engineer Tim Traversy questioned the company’s position saying that they are one of the largest and most powerful companies in the US, but questioned if they will stand with the immigrant workers that helped build this company.
Protesters also demanded that Google provide severance as payroll time for laid-off visa holders, giving them longer to secure new employment before losing their legal status.
