JPMorgan warns Trump’s $100,000 H-1B fee could cut 5,500 work permits monthly
JPMorgan's economists noted that the sharp increase in fees would likely discourage US companies from sponsoring mid-level positions, severely impacting Indian engineers, software developers, and consultants
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US-based investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co has cautioned that the Trump administration’s proposal to hike the cost of new H-1B visa applications to $100,000 could reduce immigrant work authorisations by as many as 5,500 each month.
Economists noted that the sharp increase in fees would likely discourage US companies from sponsoring mid-level positions, severely impacting Indian engineers, software developers, and consultants, and potentially disrupting project delivery for IT services and consulting firms.
The bank also flagged that staffing costs could rise significantly, while curbs on global talent mobility risk weakening America’s innovation edge.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump announced the steep increase, raising the H-1B application fee from the earlier range of $2,000–5,000 to $100,000. While the White House said the hike would primarily affect fresh applicants, critics argue the policy could make the US less attractive to international talent.
The move has also raised equity concerns, with experts warning it may advantage wealthier applicants and large corporations, while sidelining talent from modest backgrounds or resource-constrained institutions.
India’s IT trade body, NASSCOM, said the decision could have ripple effects across America’s innovation ecosystem and heighten uncertainty for businesses, students, and professionals worldwide.
