US Plans Major H1B Visa Changes Before $100,000 Fee in 2026

The United States is set to implement significant changes to the H1B visa process before February 2026, when a new $100,000 fee for new applications will come into effect. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick described the current notion of bringing “inexpensive tech consultants” into the country with their families as “just wrong.”

Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Lutnick said the visa process, which was first established in 1990, is “oversubscribed” by seven to ten times and dominated largely by tech consulting jobs. He added that only about four percent of visas go to educators and doctors.

“There’s going to be a variety of changes, including how to get the lottery, should it still be a lottery? All that will be resolved by February,” Lutnick said. He emphasized that the lottery system, used to allocate H1B visas, is “bizarre” for skilled workers and needs reform to ensure that only the “most highly-skilled” candidates fill highly paid jobs.

Lutnick said the new $100,000 fee, applicable only to new petitions, is intended to prevent low-cost tech consultants from entering the US. He clarified that the fee will not apply to current visa holders. “The idea of having tech consultants and trainees who are inexpensive should be eliminated. I find it just wrong,” he said.

He also highlighted that doctors and educators with advanced degrees should have easier access to the H1B programme, while engineering and tech positions should prioritize highly paid and highly skilled applicants.

Background on $100,000 H1B Fee

The Trump administration announced the $100,000 one-time fee earlier this month. Initially, confusion arose regarding whether it applied to current visa holders, but officials confirmed it only affects new H1B applications starting February 2026. Lutnick reinforced that this fee will influence the lottery and overall selection process, aimed at reducing oversubscription by tech consulting applicants.

US Department of Labor Launches ‘Project Firewall’

In parallel, the US Department of Labor announced ‘Project Firewall,’ an initiative to safeguard American workers’ rights and ensure H1B visas are not abused. The programme will investigate employers to ensure compliance, prioritizing highly skilled American workers for available positions.

Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said, “By rooting out fraud and abuse, we will ensure that highly skilled jobs go to Americans first.” The initiative will allow the department to collect back wages, impose civil penalties, and temporarily bar employers from using the H1B programme if violations are found.

Through Project Firewall, the department will conduct targeted investigations, with the Secretary personally certifying the initiation of probes for the first time in history.

The H1B visa process is expected to undergo several reforms in the next year to balance the demand for skilled foreign workers with protections for American professionals. Experts predict these changes could reshape the tech and healthcare talent landscape in the United States.