In a Sept. 19 proclamation, President Trump mandated a new $100,000 application fee for employers filing new H-1B visa petitions, effective Sept. 21.
The new fee does not apply to previously issued H-1B visas or petitions filed before Sept. 21, and does not affect the ability of current H-1B holders to travel.
The visas provide a pathway for highly skilled workers to temporarily work in the United States. The American Hospital Association (AHA) estimates that of the nearly 400,000 visas awarded in fiscal year 2024, about 4.2% went to physicians, residents, and other health care professionals.
The order notably includes a “national interest” exemption, allowing the Secretary of Homeland Security to determine if the hiring of a worker or industry “is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States.”
The American Medical Association (AMA), joined by 53 other medical societies, sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, urging her to exclude physicians—including residents, fellows, researchers, and those working in nonclinical settings—from the fee under the national interest exemption. The AMA’s letter specifically highlights how H-1B physicians are more likely to practice in medically underserved or health professional shortage areas. The AHA sent a similar letter to Secretary Noem on Sept. 29, asking her to exempt all health care personnel from the proclamation.
Contact Policy Analyst Evan Schweikert at eschweikert@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0124 with questions.
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