Trump receives unusual criticism from US industry for his $100,000 H-1B visa cost

Business organizations encouraged the administration to refrain from making changes to the skilled worker program that would place further constraints on businesses, warning US President Donald Trump that a recently proposed $100,000 charge for H-1B visa applications could hurt the US economy. The new cost threatens to stymie a vital talent pipeline of foreign skilled workers and leave essential jobs unfilled, according to a letter submitted to Trump on Friday by around a dozen business organizations representing chipmakers, software companies, and retailers.

In their letter, the groups urged the administration to collaborate with business on the required changes to the H-1B visa program without making it more difficult for US companies to find, hire, and retain outstanding talent.

Two weeks after the president's H-1B declaration, the letter cautiously praised Trump's attempts to attract foreign investment to the United States. The National Retail Federation, the Business Software Alliance, the Information Technology Industry Council, the Entertainment Software Association, and SEMI, the semiconductor industry, were among the signatories.