The administration under US President Donald Trump may exempt doctors and medical residents from the newly announced $100,000 fee for high-skilled H-1B visa applications, the White House has indicated.
In a statement to Bloomberg News, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said the presidential proclamation signed by Donald Trump “allows for potential exemptions, which can include physicians and medical residents.”
The executive order, issued last week, stipulates that the hefty new application fee may be waived if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that hiring a particular individual, or workers in a specific company or industry, is “in the national interest.”
“Ultimately, the Trump Administration defers to the language in the proclamation,” Rogers added.
The clarification follows growing concern from major medical organizations about a potential shortage of doctors in rural areas of the United States—regions already struggling with limited access to healthcare providers.
Medical professionals have warned that the new visa fee could sharply curtail the number of international medical graduates entering the country.
The White House’s announcement of the $100,000 application fee marks a dramatic increase from the current base fee of $215, plus other relatively nominal processing costs.
Since unveiling the policy on Friday, officials have moved to reassure companies and visa holders that the new charge will not affect existing H-1B holders. They also confirmed that workers traveling abroad will not be stranded or required to pay the new fee in order to re-enter the U.S.
The new policy took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday.
What Is the H-1B Visa?
The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. The visas are valid for three years and can be extended for another three, with roughly 700,000 H-1B visa holders currently in the US, according to economist Stephen Brown of Capital Economics. An additional half a million or so dependents also reside in the country.
Since 2012, approximately 60 percent of approved H-1B visas have gone to workers in computer-related occupations, according to data from the Pew Research Center. However, the visas are also commonly used by hospitals, banks, universities, and a variety of other employers.
Each year, the US caps the number of new H-1B visas at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 set aside for individuals holding a master’s degree or higher. These visas are awarded through a lottery system. Some employers, such as universities and nonprofits, are exempt from the cap.
In 2023, nearly three-quarters of approved H-1B applicants were from India, according to Pew.