Big Tech and finance companies are telling H-1B employees to get to the US in under 24 hours

[hist78]

Employees at major tech and financial companies on H-1B visas were told to stay in the US following President Donald Trump's surprise executive order that makes it far more expensive — and potentially impossible — for them to return if they travel abroad.

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta are among those companies, per employees and internal communications reviewed by Business Insider.

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 fee for each H-1B application or renewal. The order, which takes effect on September 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, effectively bars H-1B workers from reentering the country after that deadline unless their sponsoring employer pays the fee.

Big Tech and finance companies are telling H-1B employees to get to the US in under 24 hours

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta employees on H-1B visas were told to stay put, per employees and communications reviewed by Business Insider.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[hist78]

Employees at major tech and financial companies on H-1B visas were told to stay in the US following President Donald Trump's surprise executive order that makes it far more expensive — and potentially impossible — for them to return if they travel abroad.

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta are among those companies, per employees and internal communications reviewed by Business Insider.

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 fee for each H-1B application or renewal. The order, which takes effect on September 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, effectively bars H-1B workers from reentering the country after that deadline unless their sponsoring employer pays the fee.

Big Tech and finance companies are telling H-1B employees to get to the US in under 24 hours

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta employees on H-1B visas were told to stay put, per employees and communications reviewed by Business Insider.

www.businessinsider.com

It’s very much an anti-business approach. It hurts the US ability to compete on a global scale.

 

[siliconbruh999]

This is how you loose talent

 

[hist78]

Employees at major tech and financial companies on H-1B visas were told to stay in the US following President Donald Trump's surprise executive order that makes it far more expensive — and potentially impossible — for them to return if they travel abroad.

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta are among those companies, per employees and internal communications reviewed by Business Insider.

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 fee for each H-1B application or renewal. The order, which takes effect on September 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, effectively bars H-1B workers from reentering the country after that deadline unless their sponsoring employer pays the fee.

Big Tech and finance companies are telling H-1B employees to get to the US in under 24 hours

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta employees on H-1B visas were told to stay put, per employees and communications reviewed by Business Insider.

www.businessinsider.com

It seems that the Whitehouse and Trump himself have no rigidrous process to formulate a thoughtful policy and regulations.


New H-1B visa fee will not apply to existing holders, official says

https://www.axios.com/2025/09/20/trump-h-1b-immigration-visas

 

[Brady]

This will of course not cause these big companies to pay the shake down, but to outsource even more.

And it will be removed or reduced for most companies in short order. TACO.

 

[blueone]

This will of course not cause these big companies to pay the shake down, but to outsource even more.

I think more likely it will cause more companies to open or expand their offices in India. This will reduce job openings in the US. It's not a great solution, but many (most?) high tech companies already have facilities in India.

China is more of a challenge, but perhaps offices in intermediate countries would work for hiring Chinese candidates without opening R&D offices in China.

 

[swka]

I think more likely it will cause more companies to open or expand their offices in India. This will reduce job openings in the US. It's not a great solution, but many (most?) high tech companies already have facilities in India.

China is more of a challenge, but perhaps offices in intermediate countries would work for hiring Chinese candidates without opening R&D offices in China.

most companies as you mentioned has been moving team, or outsourced, to India for decades. This decision is not going to impact that trend much. For talents companies deem cannot find in India, they will do the H1B, will the additional $100K fee change the decision one way or another?

 

[hist78]

most companies as you mentioned has been moving team, or outsourced, to India for decades. This decision is not going to impact that trend much. For talents companies deem cannot find in India, they will do the H1B, will the additional $100K fee change the decision one way or another?

Many US tech companies have a mixed structure, with US based teams and outsourced teams in other countries. This $10,000 per H-1B holder fee will make it much more expensive to hire talented people in the US, whether the applicants are U.S. citizens or newly graduated foreign students from U.S. universities.

There are also many companies much smaller than Microsoft, Amazon, or Google. Unlike the tech giants, they may not have outsourced a lot of projects to foreign countries. But now, they may be forced to do so if they want to remain competitive.

 

[blueone]

most companies as you mentioned has been moving team, or outsourced, to India for decades. This decision is not going to impact that trend much. For talents companies deem cannot find in India, they will do the H1B, will the additional $100K fee change the decision one way or another?

What happens is not out-sourcing, it is called off-shoring. Out-sourcing is like what Boeing did to develop the MCAS software for the 737MAX; they hired another company to do the work, who used software development people in lower-cost countries to reduce costs, and because Boeing focuses on airframes, and out-sources the development of pretty much everything else. This is also what Apple does with manufacturing. There are a lot of companies that out-source projects, but that's not what most US high-tech companies do.

Off-shoring is when you want to take advantage of people with particular skillsets in other countries, often for cost reasons, but just as often because the same capabilities aren't available in the corporate home country, or only at much higher cost. These off-shore facilities are still US corporate facilities, but they're elsewhere. This is what most US high-tech companies do, and they're successful at it, or so they say. I could write a book on how complicated it is to successfully manage groups in other countries, but the cost savings is so tempting senior executives can't resist the opportunity. Nonetheless, I believe US companies will put more facilities overseas if Trump gets his way with the H1B program.

The $100,000 fee for new H1B participants is per year while they're working. In my opinion this fee, assuming it is legal (that's currently unclear) will effectively sunset the H1B program as we know it. There won't be any new candidates.

 

[MKWVentures]

Employees at major tech and financial companies on H-1B visas were told to stay in the US following President Donald Trump's surprise executive order that makes it far more expensive — and potentially impossible — for them to return if they travel abroad.

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta are among those companies, per employees and internal communications reviewed by Business Insider.

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 fee for each H-1B application or renewal. The order, which takes effect on September 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, effectively bars H-1B workers from reentering the country after that deadline unless their sponsoring employer pays the fee.

Big Tech and finance companies are telling H-1B employees to get to the US in under 24 hours

Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta employees on H-1B visas were told to stay put, per employees and communications reviewed by Business Insider.

www.businessinsider.com

So is this real? Its one thing (a stupid thing) to say you will not grant a visa or renew a visa..... but to say you cannot come to US on a valid active visa? Seriously?

LBT needs to have a talk with his buddy Trump. Last time he addressed a ignorant comment by Trump, he walked away with 10B cash for Intel LOL. LBT know art of the deal better than Trump!

 

[MKWVentures]

What happens is not out-sourcing, it is called off-shoring. Out-sourcing is like what Boeing did to develop the MCAS software for the 737MAX; they hired another company to do the work, who used software development people in lower-cost countries to reduce costs, and because Boeing focuses on airframes, and out-sources the development of pretty much everything else. This is also what Apple does with manufacturing. There are a lot of companies that out-source projects, but that's not what most US high-tech companies do.

Off-shoring is when you want to take advantage of people with particular skillsets in other countries, often for cost reasons, but just as often because the same capabilities aren't available in the corporate home country, or only at much higher cost. These off-shore facilities are still US corporate facilities, but they're elsewhere. This is what most US high-tech companies do, and they're successful at it, or so they say. I could write a book on how complicated it is to successfully manage groups in other countries, but the cost savings is so tempting senior executives can't resist the opportunity. Nonetheless, I believe US companies will put more facilities overseas if Trump gets his way with the H1B program.

The $100,000 fee for new H1B participants is per year while they're working. In my opinion this fee, assuming it is legal (that's currently unclear) will effectively sunset the H1B program as we know it. There won't be any new candidates.

US tech companies need to be able to hire H1B people to be successful. Time to fire up those Singapore and India tech center plans again. Like you said, its not the cost, its the skill set.

FYI: I only know about H1B and high paying senior tech (PhD) roles. If there are low paying H1B roles I have not idea about them.

 

[swka]

US tech companies need to be able to hire H1B people to be successful. Time to fire up those Singapore and India tech center plans again. Like you said, its not the cost, its the skill set.

FYI: I only know about H1B and high paying senior tech (PhD) roles. If there are low paying H1B roles I have not idea about them.

when did they ditch SGP and India tech center plan?

As for H1B, someone made a point before regarding all the foreign students in STEM. If you have a MS and above degree from US, you should automatically get a green card. No brainer to me.

 

[MKWVentures]

As for H1B, someone made a point before regarding all the foreign students in STEM. If you have a MS and above degree from US, you should automatically get a green card. No brainer to me.

I agree. But that is not the case. they need a sponsor and a Visa.
Some people seem to think having the best and brightest move to the US is a bad thing.

 

[blueone]

US tech companies need to be able to hire H1B people to be successful. Time to fire up those Singapore and India tech center plans again. Like you said, its not the cost, its the skill set.

FYI: I only know about H1B and high paying senior tech (PhD) roles. If there are low paying H1B roles I have not idea about them.

I'm not sure what your definition of "low paying" is, but H1B was created for "specialty occupations". Here's what the USG has to say about it:

https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/h-1b-specialty-occupations

If you take the literal intent of the law passed by Congress (signed in 1990), it was to provide a special immigration avenue for specialty skills the country needed more of. Has the law been abused by employers? Certainly, in my opinion. Nonetheless, I think the US has benefitted from the H1B visas immensely. I'm a promoter of keeping politics out of this forum, so I'm not going to dive into my personal opinions, but I do wish Congress would stop their partisan sniping and write immigration laws that make sense. To me, our current laws make no sense for the 21st century.

 

[Markwrob]

I can't shake the feeling that the administration sees an opportunity to fill in some tariff or tax shortfall here. And just like tariffs they dont understand all the repercussions.

I wonder how long before they add a big fee to student visas, too. Just because it sounds ridiculous does not mean they won't try it.

 

[Barnsley]

US tech companies need to be able to hire H1B people to be successful. Time to fire up those Singapore and India tech center plans again. Like you said, its not the cost, its the skill set.

FYI: I only know about H1B and high paying senior tech (PhD) roles. If there are low paying H1B roles I have not idea about them.

Sorry to say the local folk here in Singapore think there are "too many" Indians here in Singapore already in the "top jobs" whilst locals are driving cabs and doing food delivery.

The sentiment here is when one Indian gets a senior role they only "hire from their own village" and locals get squeezed out.

 

[essiah]

Sorry to say the local folk here in Singapore think there are "too many" Indians here in Singapore already in the "top jobs" whilst locals are driving cabs and doing food delivery.

The sentiment here is when one Indian gets a senior role they only "hire from their own village" and locals get squeezed out.

I see that both in Singapore and the bay area

 

[Paul2]

Time to fire up those Singapore and India tech center plans again.

The thing is, they are already there. People in HQ's in USA are only doing higher level stuff.

If you look at big co's Linux commits, and them google the people, you will see most of them are stationed outside of USA

 

[blueone]

I can't shake the feeling that the administration sees an opportunity to fill in some tariff or tax shortfall here. And just like tariffs they don't understand all the repercussions.

I wonder how long before they add a big fee to student visas, too. Just because it sounds ridiculous does not mean they won't try it.

The US federal deficit is trending towards $1.9T for 2025. No realistic amount of taxation will cut the deficit by much. Only deep spending cuts can do it. Even Trump has to know that. I think he's just playing to what gets cheers from his support base.

 

[Barnsley]

The US federal deficit is trending towards $1.9T for 2025. No realistic amount of taxation will cut the deficit by much. Only deep spending cuts can do it. Even Trump has to know that. I think he's just playing to what gets cheers from his support base.

So just slash defence spending job done.

Coupled with the massive tax hike from Tariffs , should be all good no?