Major technology companies have advised their employees holding H-1B visas to remain in the United States and not leave the country in response to significant changes to the visa program initiated by US President Donald Trump.
According to a report by Jadeh Makhsous News Base, the White House announced on Friday that President Trump signed a proclamation requiring employers to pay a fee of $100,000 for H-1B visa applications.
In response, companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have reportedly told their employees with this type of visa to stay within the country and avoid international travel for the time being.
Additionally, employees who are currently abroad have been instructed to return to the United States before the proclamation takes effect at 12:01 AM on Sunday, US time.
According to a report by Jadeh Makhsous, industry insiders have circulated memos from Amazon and Microsoft, while other sources have confirmed a similar directive from Google.
Based on US government data for the current fiscal year, Amazon has secured the most H-1B visas for its employees. The company is followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple. Google ranks sixth on this list.
Meanwhile, a White House official clarified to Axios that the aforementioned fee applies only to new visa applications and will not affect renewals or existing H-1B visas.