Trump Team on Doctors’ Exemption From $100K H-1B Visa Fee

The Trump administration has addressed concerns about a proposed $100,000 fee tied to H-1B visas and whether doctors would be required to pay it. Questions have circulated within the medical community about potential exemptions, especially given the need for foreign doctors in U.S. healthcare. Trump’s team clarified their position, shedding light on how the fee might be applied and whether medical professionals could be spared, offering important insight for both hospitals and visa applicants.

The Biden administration has revealed that applying for an H-1B visa will now involve a $100,000 charge. Up to this point, the application fee was $215, along with a few minor processing expenses.

Officials signaled that the Trump White House might exclude doctors from having to pay this steep new fee for skilled-worker visas. In remarks shared with Bloomberg News, spokesperson Taylor Rogers explained that President Trump’s proclamation permits exemptions, which may extend to physicians and medical trainees.

The executive order issued last week specified that the Department of Homeland Security could set aside the increased fee if it determines that an individual worker, or an employee in a particular field or organization, is essential to the nation’s interests.

Rogers added that the administration’s stance is rooted in the language of the presidential order itself.

The update followed mounting pressure from leading medical associations, which cautioned that rural regions could face even worse physician shortages if foreign doctors are priced out. Health experts have stressed that such costs might drastically reduce the arrival of international medical graduates into U.S. hospitals.

After rolling out the $100,000 application fee, the administration moved quickly to calm businesses, emphasizing that current visa holders will not be charged and that workers traveling overseas won’t be barred from returning unless they can cover the new cost. The rule officially took effect early Sunday morning, Eastern Time.

An H-1B visa permits U.S. companies to employ foreign professionals with specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The visa is valid for three years and can be renewed for another three, with economist Stephen Brown of Capital Economics estimating there are roughly 700,000 holders in the U.S., plus about half a million dependents.

Data from the Pew Research Center shows that since 2012, about 60 percent of approvals were in computer-related roles. Still, hospitals, financial firms, universities, and many other employers also make use of the program.

Each year, only 65,000 new visas are issued, with another 20,000 reserved for advanced-degree applicants, all distributed by lottery. Certain groups, such as nonprofit organizations and universities, are exempt from these caps.

Pew also reported that in 2023, nearly three-quarters of approved applicants originated from India.

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Source: NDTV‍