US President Donald Trump has extended the $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B visa petitions for another year, keeping the measure in effect until September 21, 2027.
The extension comes while the policy continues to face legal challenges over the administration’s authority to impose the additional payment. The White House has said the circumstances that led to the original order in September 2025 remain unchanged.
The requirement applies to certain H-1B specialty occupation workers who are outside the United States and seeking entry into the country.
What Is the $100,000 H-1B Payment Requirement?
The additional payment was introduced through a presidential proclamation in September 2025. Under the policy, employers sponsoring certain H-1B workers located outside the US may be required to make a $100,000 payment before those workers can enter the country.
The measure primarily affects new H-1B workers who need consular processing. Existing H-1B visa holders and certain workers already in the United States are subject to different rules.
The Department of Homeland Security can also grant exceptions in cases where an individual’s entry is considered to be in the national interest.
The Trump administration has said the policy is intended to address concerns about the use of H-1B workers by outsourcing companies while protecting wages and employment opportunities for American workers.
What the Extension Means for Indian IT Professionals
The continuation of the payment requirement is particularly significant for Indian technology professionals and companies that depend heavily on the H-1B programme to place specialised workers in the United States.
The White House has cited a sharp decline in H-1B registrations from major IT staffing firms after the $100,000 requirement was introduced. According to administration figures, registrations from the largest IT staffing firms dropped from 24,946 to 2,055, representing a decline of about 92%.
The administration also reported an almost 97% reduction in consular-processing requests across the relevant H-1B lottery cycles.
These figures have been cited by the Trump administration as part of its reasoning for continuing the payment requirement.
Legal Challenges Continue
The extension comes as businesses and industry groups continue to challenge the $100,000 H-1B payment requirement in US federal courts.
The legal disputes centre on whether the administration has the authority to impose the additional payment. The outcome of the ongoing proceedings could affect how the measure is implemented.
For now, however, the extension keeps the presidential restriction formally in place through September 21, 2027, subject to developments in the litigation.
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Oversight
The extension is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to increase scrutiny of the H-1B visa programme.
Federal agencies have been directed to strengthen coordination while reviewing H-1B petitions and applications. Officials have also been instructed to consider factors such as whether an employer sponsoring H-1B workers has recently laid off US employees working in similar positions.
The administration has said these changes are designed to strengthen oversight, discourage practices it considers abusive and place greater emphasis on highly skilled workers.
For Indian professionals and companies that rely on the H-1B programme, the extended $100,000 payment requirement means the policy will remain an important factor in US visa and workforce planning through September 2027.