Some of the worlds largest technology companies are planning ways to dodge the U.S. government’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee, leaving smaller businesses to struggle.
The Wall Street Journal reported that companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet, are seeking workers in categories exempt from the fee, including existing H-1B visa holders, students, and individuals on other visa types. Experts say bigger technology companies are also positioned to offer higher salaries than smaller rivals, improving their chances in the annual March lottery that decides who will receive the 85,000 new visas available each year, after the government recently changed the system to give workers better odds for higher income. In addition, larger companies can often locate workers in offices overseas; a much harder option for smaller firms.
“If this was a book, the H-1B fee of $100,000 is chapter one,” said Stuart Anderson of the National Foundation for American Policy. “By the time the story ends, we’re going to see fewer and fewer highly skilled individuals eligible to work in the United States.”