College Grads on Student Visa, Some Workers in US Spared New $100,000 H-1B Fee

College graduates on student visas and certain foreign workers already living in the US will not have to pay a $100,000 filing fee for H-1B visas, the Department of Homeland Security said in updated guidance outlining how the new rules will work.

The clarification, announced this week by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, applies to foreigners who hold US visas and are already in the country, including recent graduates and certain employees.

The new H-1B fee, unveiled Sept. 19 and implemented just two days later, blindsided employers and visa applicants. The abrupt change left companies and foreign workers unsure who would be required to pay and raised fears that those traveling abroad could be charged upon returning to the US. This week’s guidance adds detail about how the policy will be carried out, including assurances that travel or a change in employer won’t trigger additional payments.

-Bloomberg