H-IB VISAS HOPE : $100,000 FEE

WASHINGTON : President Donald Trump has extended an executive order that would impose a fee of  $100,000 for H-IB non-immigrant visas by another year, the White House said recently.

Employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government's H-IB visa programme for a fee, allowing tech and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years.

Trump, who has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, has criticised the programme and wants to permanently raise the fee from between $2,000 and $5,000 to $100,000, though the attempt has faced legal challenges.

A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing a June decision by a federal judge who deemed the higher fee imposed by the Trump administration illegal and blocked the government from collecting it.

Another court is considering whether a judge properly rejected a challenge to the fee by the Chamber of Commerce, the largest US business lobbying group.

The visas, established by Congress in 1990, are especially critical for tech companies seeking to recruit from India and China.

Changes to how potential visa holders are scrutinised have impacted companies' hiring and expansion plans, with some top H-IB users moving to increase operations in India.

!WOW! thanks Reuters.