Gistcore Media | Home of News and Latest Gist | September 20, 2025

In a shocking new immigration policy move, United States President Donald Trump has raised the annual sponsorship fee for H-1B work visas from $5,000 to $100,000, a twentyfold increase. The policy, signed as an executive order at the White House on Friday, affects American companies hiring skilled workers from Nigeria and other countries around the world.

The H-1B visa program, which allows U.S. companies to employ foreign professionals in fields such as technology, medicine, finance, and engineering, has long been considered the gateway for highly skilled international workers to contribute to the American economy. With the new directive, firms will now have to pay $100,000 per worker every year—a cost that experts say will devastate industries reliant on foreign expertise.

Trump Introduces ‘Gold Card’ Visa at $1 Million to $2 Million

Alongside the steep hike, President Trump also announced a new visa category dubbed the “gold card”, which offers expedited permanent residency in exchange for massive financial contributions. Under this option, individuals or corporations can secure U.S. residency by paying between $1 million and $2 million, depending on the category applied for.

“The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying,” Trump said at the White House briefing. “You can prove exceptional value to the United States of America by contributing a million dollars to the United States of America.”

This new provision mirrors policies in countries like Canada and the United Kingdom, which allow foreign nationals to secure residency through large-scale investments. However, critics argue that the scheme essentially turns U.S. residency into a commodity for the wealthy, while excluding skilled but less affluent workers.

Impact on U.S. Companies and Global Talent

Until now, the H-1B visa sponsorship fee ranged between $5,000 and $6,000 annually, covering a renewable three-year period. It served as an accessible pathway for thousands of foreign workers, particularly in the tech sector, to contribute to innovation and long-term U.S. competitiveness.

With the massive surge to $100,000, companies in Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and even hospitals are expected to feel the impact. The U.S. grants around 85,000 H-1B visas every year, and sectors such as information technology, healthcare, and finance heavily depend on this program to address critical labor shortages.

Industry experts warn that the new fee could cripple startups and mid-sized firms that lack the financial power of corporate giants like Google, Microsoft, or JPMorgan. Smaller businesses may be forced to abandon plans of hiring foreign professionals, thereby worsening America’s growing skills gap.

U.S. Administration Defends the Crackdown

Defending the move, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the decision was necessary to protect American jobs and end exploitation of the visa system.

“If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land. Train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs,” Lutnick declared.

The Trump administration has consistently argued that U.S. companies abuse the H-1B program to import cheaper foreign labor at the expense of American workers. This new executive order is part of the president’s intensified anti-immigration campaign as he eyes the upcoming election season.

Nigerians Among the Hardest Hit

For Nigeria and other developing nations, the H-1B visa has long been a major route for professionals seeking opportunities abroad. Nigerian doctors, engineers, and IT specialists have traditionally found opportunities through U.S. firms sponsoring their visas.

Now, with a 20-fold fee hike, American companies are less likely to extend job offers to Nigerian professionals, threatening to drastically reduce their chances of working in the United States. Analysts believe this could trigger a reverse brain drain, forcing talent to seek opportunities in Europe, Canada, or Asia instead.

Critics Slam Policy as “Anti-Immigrant and Elitist”

Human rights advocates and immigration experts have slammed the new policy as elitist and discriminatory. By raising the bar to $100,000 per worker and introducing a multimillion-dollar residency scheme, they argue the U.S. is effectively closing its doors to hardworking professionals while favoring only the ultra-wealthy.

“This is not about protecting American jobs,” said one immigration policy analyst. “This is about creating a pay-to-play system where only the rich can access opportunities in the United States.”

Conclusion

President Trump’s latest executive order signals one of the biggest overhauls in U.S. immigration policy in decades. While supporters frame it as a protectionist strategy to prioritize American workers, critics warn it could isolate the U.S. from the global talent pool, undermine innovation, and damage relationships with countries like Nigeria that have supplied highly skilled professionals for decades.

As industries brace for impact, one question remains: Will this new policy truly protect American workers, or will it drive away the very expertise that has helped the U.S. remain a global leader in innovation?

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