US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order slapping a $100,000 (about GH¢1.5 million) annual fee on applicants to the H-1B visa programme, America’s main pathway for skilled foreign workers.
The order, which takes effect September 21, requires companies to pay the hefty sum for each worker they sponsor, potentially for up to six years. Previously, H-1B applicants paid only about $1,500 in administrative fees.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the policy, insisting that firms must now “decide if the person is valuable enough to have a $100,000-a-year payment to the government, or they should head home, and they should go hire an American.”
But critics warn the changes could devastate small businesses and start-ups that rely on international talent.
“Almost everyone’s going to be priced out. This $100,000 as an entry point is going to have a devastating impact,” immigration attorney Tahmina Watson told the BBC.
The H-1B programme has long served professionals from countries like India, Ghana, and Nigeria, particularly in the tech and health sectors.
With applications already down to a four-year low of 359,000, observers fear the new fees will shrink numbers further, cutting off opportunities for thousands of skilled workers across Africa and beyond.
Even large corporations such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Apple — historically the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B system, may be forced to reconsider their US operations.
At the same time, Trump unveiled a new “gold card” visa scheme, offering a fast-track pathway for wealthy applicants ready to pay upwards of £1 million.
Analysts say the twin policies reflect his enduring scepticism of foreign workers, despite earlier pledges to make America more open to global talent.
