US plan for $100,000 H-1B visa fee stirs fears in Seoul

The U.S. government’s decision to raise the H-1B visa application fee from $1,000 to $100,000 has alarmed businesses, with some fearing that it could complicate ongoing visa negotiations with Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Friday, raising the H-1B visa application fee a staggering 1,000-fold. The sudden measure took effect just after midnight on Sunday. The White House later clarified that the steep increase applies only to new applicants as a one-time charge, leaving current visa holders and those seeking renewals untouched. Officials said that the secretary of homeland security may grant exemptions in cases deemed to serve U.S. interests. Nevertheless, the administration defended the measure as a safeguard against the misuse of the visa system and as a means of protecting American workers. “The H-1B program discourages future U.S. workers from entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and poses a threat to our national security,” read a White House statement. The H-1B visa enables foreign professionals specializing in STEM fWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times