Thousands of Britons to be hit by Trump's $100,000 visa fee

"Thousands of British technology workers face soaring costs after Donald Trump confirmed plans to impose a $100,000 (£74,000) fee on specialist US visas. The dramatic increase applies to the H-1B visa, which is widely used by tech companies to hire foreign workers. Last year, 1,462 Britons received H-1B visas - more than any other European nation - while 985 have already been approved in the current fiscal year."

"The move has sparked a backlash in Silicon Valley, where companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google argue that H-1B visas are essential to attract top talent amid fierce competition with China in fields such as artificial intelligence. Elon Musk, the Tesla chief executive, claimed he and many of his colleagues were only in the US thanks to the visa system and pledged to "go to war" over the issue if necessary."

"Economists warned the change would damage US growth by restricting access to skilled foreign workers. Atakan Bakiskan of Berenberg said: "By making it very expensive for companies to attract foreign talent and by forcing some international students to leave the country after graduation, the brain drain will weigh heavily on productivity." The impact could present an opportunity for Britain. Dom Hallas of the Startup Coalition urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to expand the UK's Global Talent visa"

A $100,000 (£74,000) fee will be imposed on H‑1B specialist US visas, substantially increasing costs for foreign tech workers. The fee applies to the H-1B visa widely used by technology companies; last year 1,462 Britons received H‑1B visas and 985 have already been approved in the current fiscal year. The administration framed the charge as a measure to encourage companies to recruit American workers, initially suggesting annual levies before clarifying it would be a one-off payment at initial grant. Major tech firms warned the change could hinder access to talent amid competition with China, while economists cautioned it could reduce productivity. UK figures urged expanding Global Talent routes and tax reforms to attract displaced workers.

Read at Business Matters