Trump Signs Proclamation Restricting H-1B Entry

Key Point  

• President Trump has signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa petitions for foreign workers outside the U.S. 

White House Moves to Limit H-1B Use

On September 19, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed a presidential proclamation titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers. The proclamation suspends the entry of certain H-1B nonimmigrants into the U.S. and requires U.S. employers to pay a $100,000 fee for each H-1B nonimmigrant worker seeking entry from outside the country. The proclamation takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on September 21, 2025.

Key Provisions of the Proclamation:

• Restricts entry of H-1B nonimmigrants unless the petition is accompanied by a $100,000 payment.
• Applies to workers outside the U.S. at the time of petition.
• Grants the Secretary of Homeland Security discretion to exempt individuals, companies or industries deemed in the national interest.
• Directs the Secretary of Labor to initiate rulemaking to raise prevailing wage levels.
• Orders DHS and the State Department to coordinate enforcement and deny entry to H-1B workers whose employers have not paid the fee.

The government will end the restriction 12 months after it takes effect, unless it extends it. Agencies must submit recommendations on renewal within 30 days of the next H-1B lottery.

Policy Directives

The proclamation also directs federal agencies to revise and tighten H-1B program standards:

• Department of Labor will revise prevailing wage levels under INA §212(n).
• DHS will prioritize high-skilled, high-paid H-1B workers in future admissions.

Project Firewall Targets H-1B Abuse

On September 19, 2025, the Department of Labor cracked down on H-1B program abuse by launching new enforcement actions under Project Firewall—the same day the proclamation was signed.

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