Australians building careers in the United States could be facing even tougher hurdles after the Trump administration slapped a jaw‑dropping new fee on one of America’s most sought‑after work visas.
Overnight, President Donald Trump signed an executive order adding an extra US$100,000 (about AU$153,000) to the price of applying for an H‑1B visa — a program that lets US companies hire foreign professionals. On top of that, H‑1B workers won’t even be allowed to enter the country unless the massive fee has been paid.
“We’re going to be able to keep people in our country that are going to be very productive people, and in many cases these companies are going to pay a lot of money for that, and they’re very happy about it,” Mr Trump said when announcing the change in the Oval Office.
What is the H‑1B program?
The H‑1B is the visa big tech companies rely on to hire international workers. Amazon, for example, received over 10,000 H‑1B visas in 2024, more than any other company, according to US Department of Labor data reported by CBS News. Microsoft, Apple, Google and Tata Consultancy followed closely behind.
Right now, applications already cost between US$1,700 and US$4,500 depending on whether they’re expedited. Employers usually cover the fee, but experts warn the new $100k charge could force firms to cut back or move jobs offshore. Stuart Anderson from the National Foundation for American Policy told CBS the rule might encourage companies to shift “specialised areas like research and development” overseas instead.
Why Australians are paying attention
While Australians typically use the E‑3 visa — not the H‑1B — to live and work in the US, both schemes are now feeling the impact of the administration’s tightening stance on migration, limiting choices for many Aussies looking to work in the US.
Earlier this month, thousands of Australians on E‑3s ran into fresh complications when the US State Department introduced a rule requiring applicants to renew visas only from their home country. That means an Aussie consultant living in New York may now need to fly all the way back to Sydney every two years, instead of renewing at closer consulates like London — a system that had worked for years.
Josh Pugh, who runs an online community for Australians in America, told the ABC: “We’ve heard directly from about a dozen people… told that their visa had been refused because of this new directive.”
Immigration lawyer Jonathan Grode, also speaking to the ABC, said even US consulates are “seeking additional guidance” on the changes. “Right now, we are in full‑on — I hate to use the word, but — panic mode for a lot of individuals,” he said.
The bigger picture
Combined, these moves suggest a broader crackdown. Beyond the H‑1B and E‑3, the White House has also floated limits on student visas, journalist visas, and rules restricting citizenship for some children born in the US.
For Australians, the immediate worry is the cost, logistics, and uncertainty of simply keeping their legal status in a country many call home. While tech giants can likely absorb a $100k application fee, it’s workers — including Aussies — who are left to navigate the fallout.
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