NEW DELHI:
The United States has extended by another year a restriction requiring a $100,000 payment for certain new H-1B workers seeking to enter the country, keeping the measure in place until September 21, 2027.
US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation extending the restriction, which was first introduced in September 2025. The H-1B programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised occupations, including technology, engineering and research.
The restriction applies to certain new H-1B workers outside the US, with exceptions provided under the presidential proclamation. Existing H-1B visa holders and certain foreign graduates already in the US are not covered by the payment requirement, according to reports on the measure.
The extension is significant for Indian professionals, who form the largest share of H-1B beneficiaries by country of birth. US technology companies have also relied heavily on the programme to recruit skilled workers.
The measure is facing legal challenges in US courts. The White House has said the restrictions are aimed at addressing what it describes as misuse of the H-1B programme, while businesses and other critics have raised concerns about the impact on employers’ access to skilled workers.