JPMorgan and Microsoft Advise H-1B Visa Holders to Return to US Before Trump's Latest Crackdown Order

JPMorgan and Microsoft have advised H-1B visa holders to return to the US before September 21 following President Trump's new directive that imposes a $100,000 annual fee on the program. Employers must pay the fee when filing new H-1B petitions for foreign workers, or they will be barred from entering the US. Exceptions may be granted in cases deemed in the national interest.

JPMorgan and Microsoft have advised their H-1B visa holders to return to the United States before September 21, following President Trump's new directive that imposes a $100,000 annual fee on the H-1B visa program. The companies have urged their employees to act promptly to avoid potential disruptions in their work and immigration status Microsoft asks all its foreign staff to return to US by Sunday after Trump's H1-B bombshell^[1].

The new directive, announced by President Trump, requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B petition for foreign workers outside the US, starting September 21, 2025. Exceptions may be granted in cases deemed to be in the national interest $100,000 H-1B visa fees executive order: Read full text here^[2]. This move is part of a broader effort to address concerns over the abuse of the H-1B visa program, which has been criticized for replacing American workers with cheaper foreign labor and suppressing wages.

The directive comes amid growing concerns about the impact of the H-1B visa program on the US job market. According to a study from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, computer science and computer engineering graduates are facing some of the highest unemployment rates in the country, with rates of 6.1 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively $100,000 H-1B visa fees executive order: Read full text here^[2]. The new fee is intended to address these issues by making it more expensive for companies to hire foreign workers, thereby encouraging them to invest in training American graduates instead.

The directive has significant implications for the Indian IT sector, which relies heavily on the H-1B visa program. Approximately 71% of H-1B visa holders are Indian, and many of these workers are employed in the technology sector. The new $100,000 annual fee could make it prohibitively expensive for companies to retain Indian professionals, given the decades-long wait for Green Cards Microsoft asks all its foreign staff to return to US by Sunday after Trump's H1-B bombshell^[1].

In response to the directive, major IT firms such as Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, and Tata Consultancy Services have seen a drop in their stock prices, with shares falling between 2% and 5% following the announcement Microsoft asks all its foreign staff to return to US by Sunday after Trump's H1-B bombshell^[1]. Critics argue that the measure discourages talent mobility and innovation, while supporters contend that it will prevent wage suppression and compel companies to invest in American graduates.

As the deadline approaches, companies and employees alike are scrambling to comply with the new directive. JPMorgan and Microsoft have been proactive in advising their H-1B visa holders to return to the US before the September 21 deadline to avoid potential disruptions in their work and immigration status. The companies have also advised their employees currently in the US to continue working in the country for the foreseeable future Microsoft asks all its foreign staff to return to US by Sunday after Trump's H1-B bombshell^[1].

The new directive is part of a broader shift in US immigration policy, signaling a dramatic change in the way the H-1B visa program is used. The directive aims to address the abuse of the program while still permitting companies to hire highly skilled temporary foreign workers. The impact of the new fee on the H-1B visa program and the US job market remains to be seen, but it is clear that the directive will have significant implications for both employers and employees.