发表于 2025年9月21日
President Donald Trump’s latest effort to overhaul America’s legal immigration system — raising the annual fee on H-1B visa applicants from $215 to $100,000 — could deal a major blow to some US industries that rely on skilled foreign workers.*
During a signing at the Oval Office Friday, Trump argued that America needs “great workers” and that the newly imposed fee “pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen.” Administration officials also claimed the hefty fee would incentivize companies to hire American workers.
“The company needs to decide … is the person valuable enough to have a $100,000-a-year payment to the government, or they should head home and go hire an American?” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said at the signing. “That’s the point of immigration: Hire Americans and make sure the people coming in are the top, top people.”
Of the 85,000 H-1B visas granted annually, another 20,000 are reserved for people with advanced degrees from American higher education institutions.
But Trump’s allies have been divided on how to tackle the visa program.
Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, whom Trump chose to lead the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, have defended companies that use the work visa and depend on foreign workers to operate. Steve Bannon, a top strategist in Trump’s first term, blasted H-1B visas on his “War Room” podcast in December 2024 as a “scam” by Silicon Valley titans, who are about “taking American jobs and bringing over what essentially become indentured servants at lower wages.”
Here’s what the new policy means for businesses and workers.
**How will visa holders be affected?**
The $100,000 visa fee, which takes effect Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET, will apply only to new H-1B applications, according to the White House. The rule expires a year later, on September 21, 2026, unless it’s extended.
“This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X on Saturday, adding that it does not apply to renewals or current visa holders.
Google and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, advised visa holders to reconsider international travel plans and to consider returns to the United States by Saturday night, if necessary, according to emails viewed by CNN.
But Leavitt clarified Saturday afternoon that any current H-1B holders who are outside the United States will not be charged $100,000 to reenter.
**Which industries will be impacted?**
Most H-1B petitions approved during fiscal 2024 — which spanned from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024 — were for computer-related roles (64%), according to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report.
The next largest occupation was in the field of architecture, engineering and surveying (10%). The third-most-approved petitions were for education-related jobs (6%), according to USCIS. The “largest detailed industry sector” for approved H-1B visas was related to custom computer programming (25%). Professional, scientific and technical services was the No. 1 industry among employers (48%), while manufacturing (11%) was the second-most popular.
**Which companies could be most impacted?**
According to the USCIS data hub, Amazon is the largest H-1B sponsor. The online retailing giant was approved for more than 9,000 H-1B visas during fiscal 2024.
Tech giants also rely on the H-1B program, with Google sponsoring 5,364 approved H-1B visas in fiscal 2024, followed by Meta (4,844), Microsoft (4,725) and Apple (3,873).
**What does this mean for job competition?**
Small businesses and startups are more likely to balk at that $100,000 fee than companies like Amazon, Meta, Apple and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. The four companies have a combined capitalization of about $11.1 trillion.
The fee could also mean foreign-born workers would be denied entry-level positions, as the $100,000 cost would be too much of a burden to pay for a lower-waged worker.
Recent college graduates, who are experiencing the worst market for new grads since the Covid-19 pandemic, could stand to gain from job openings if the openings remain in America. That’s particularly good news for computer science and tech-related graduates, who are entering the market amid rounds of layoffs and plummeting opportunities.
**What will companies do?**
During his 2016 campaign, Trump accused US companies of using H-1B visas “for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay.”
But the USCIS reported that, of approved H-1B petitions, the median annual compensation was $120,000. Companies will likely continue to offer higher-paying salaries to the best talent pool of foreign workers. But restrictions could make companies shift hiring initiatives abroad to countries like India, China and Canada, according to the American Immigration Council.
**How are job seekers affected?**
Placing limits on H-1B holders doesn’t guarantee Americans will be hired in the impacted sectors. When immigration slowed during the pandemic and following the first Trump administration’s temporary ban on some immigrant visas, it led to record-high job openings.
Economists warned at the time that the worker shortage couldn’t be solved without ramping up immigration.
“Businesses are having to turn down work because they simply can’t find the workers to do it,” Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the US Chamber of Commerce, told CNN in 2021.
**Could the policy face legal hurdles?**
The new fee on visas is likely to be challenged in US courts.
“To be clear, the president has literally zero legal authority to impose a $100,000 fee on visas,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, on X. “The only authority Congress has ever given the executive branch here is to charge fees to recover the cost of processing the application.”
President Donald Trump’s latest effort to overhaul America’s legal immigration system — raising the annual fee on H-1B visa applicants from $215 to $100,000 — could deal a major blow to some US industries that rely on skilled foreign workers.*
总统Donald Trump最新一次试图重塑美国合法移民制度的举措——把H‑1B签证申请人的年度费用从$215提高到$100,000（H‑1B为面向高技能专业人士的非移民工作签证）——可能会对一些依赖技术型外籍劳工的美国行业造成重大打击。*
During a signing at the Oval Office Friday, Trump argued that America needs “great workers” and that the newly imposed fee “pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen.” Administration officials also claimed the hefty fee would incentivize companies to hire American workers.
周五在椭圆形办公室签署文件时，特朗普表示，美国需要“优秀的劳动者”，而新加的费用“基本能确保这件事会发生”。政府官员还声称，这笔高额费用会促使公司去雇用美国工人。
“The company needs to decide … is the person valuable enough to have a $100,000-a-year payment to the government, or they should head home and go hire an American?” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said at the signing. “That’s the point of immigration: Hire Americans and make sure the people coming in are the top, top people.”
商务部长Howard Lutnick在签署仪式上说：“公司需要做决定……这个人是否值得为了他每年向政府支付10万美元，还是应该让他回家，然后去雇一个美国人？”他还说：“这就是移民的要义：雇用美国人，并确保进来的人都是最顶尖的人才。”
Of the 85,000 H-1B visas granted annually, another 20,000 are reserved for people with advanced degrees from American higher education institutions.
在每年核发的85,000个H-1B签证之外，另有20,000个名额专门预留给在美国高等院校获得高等学位（通常指硕士及以上）的人士。
But Trump’s allies have been divided on how to tackle the visa program.
但特朗普的盟友在如何处理这一签证项目上意见不一。
Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, whom Trump chose to lead the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, have defended companies that use the work visa and depend on foreign workers to operate. Steve Bannon, a top strategist in Trump’s first term, blasted H-1B visas on his “War Room” podcast in December 2024 as a “scam” by Silicon Valley titans, who are about “taking American jobs and bringing over what essentially become indentured servants at lower wages.”
Vivek Ramaswamy 和 Elon Musk——被特朗普选中领导政府的 Department of Government Efficiency（政府效能部门）——为使用这种工作签证并依赖外国劳工运营的公司进行了辩护。特朗普第一任期的高级策略师 Steve Bannon 则在 2024 年 12 月的“War Room”播客中痛批 H-1B 签证是硅谷巨头的“骗局”，这些人就是要“拿走美国人的工作，把基本上成了低薪‘契约劳工’的人带过来”。
Here’s what the new policy means for businesses and workers.
这项新政策对企业和劳动者意味着什么？
**How will visa holders be affected?**
签证持有人将受到怎样的影响？ 白宫表示，这项10万美元的签证费用将于周日美国东部时间（ET）凌晨12点01分生效，仅适用于新的H-1B申请。该规则将于一年后即2026年9月21日到期，除非被延长。 白宫新闻秘书Karoline Leavitt周六在X上发文强调：“这不是年度费用（NOT an annual fee）。这是一次性费用，仅适用于该份申请（petition）。”她补充说，这笔费用不适用于续签或现有签证持有人。 据CNN看到的公司邮件，Google和Meta（Facebook与Instagram的母公司）建议签证持有人重新考虑国际旅行计划，必要时尽量在周六晚前返回美国。 不过，Leavitt在周六下午澄清，任何目前身在美国境外的H-1B持有人在重新入境时都不会被收取10万美元费用。
The $100,000 visa fee, which takes effect Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET, will apply only to new H-1B applications, according to the White House. The rule expires a year later, on September 21, 2026, unless it’s extended.
白宫表示，这项10万美元的签证费用将于本周日东部时间凌晨12点01分生效，仅适用于新的H-1B申请。该规定将在一年后（即2026年9月21日）到期，除非予以延长。
“This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted to X on Saturday, adding that it does not apply to renewals or current visa holders.
“这不是年度费用。这是一项一次性费用，只适用于该申请（petition）。” 白宫新闻秘书 Karoline Leavitt 周六在 X 上发帖补充称，该费用不适用于续签或目前的签证持有人。
Google and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, advised visa holders to reconsider international travel plans and to consider returns to the United States by Saturday night, if necessary, according to emails viewed by CNN.
据CNN查阅的邮件显示，Google和Meta（Facebook与Instagram的母公司）建议签证持有人重新考虑其国际旅行计划，并在必要时考虑最晚于周六晚间返回美国。
But Leavitt clarified Saturday afternoon that any current H-1B holders who are outside the United States will not be charged $100,000 to reenter.
但莱维特在周六下午澄清，任何目前身在美国境外的 H-1B 持有人在重新入境美国时将不会被收取10万美元的费用。
**Which industries will be impacted?**
哪些行业会受到影响？
Most H-1B petitions approved during fiscal 2024 — which spanned from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024 — were for computer-related roles (64%), according to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report.
据美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）报告，在美国2024财年（2023年10月1日至2024年9月30日）获批的H-1B申请中，大多数用于计算机相关岗位，占64%。
The next largest occupation was in the field of architecture, engineering and surveying (10%). The third-most-approved petitions were for education-related jobs (6%), according to USCIS. The “largest detailed industry sector” for approved H-1B visas was related to custom computer programming (25%). Professional, scientific and technical services was the No. 1 industry among employers (48%), while manufacturing (11%) was the second-most popular.
其次规模最大的职业领域是建筑、工程与测量，占10%。据USCIS（美国公民及移民服务局）称，获批数量排在第三的是教育相关岗位，占6%。在已获批的H-1B签证中，“细分行业中规模最大”的是定制计算机编程相关行业（即按需开发软件），占25%。在雇主所属行业中，专业、科学与技术服务位居第一，占48%；制造业位居第二，占11%。
**Which companies could be most impacted?**
哪些公司可能受到最大影响？
According to the USCIS data hub, Amazon is the largest H-1B sponsor. The online retailing giant was approved for more than 9,000 H-1B visas during fiscal 2024.
根据美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）数据中心，Amazon 是最大的 H-1B 赞助方。这家线上零售巨头在2024财年获批的 H-1B 签证超过9,000份。
Tech giants also rely on the H-1B program, with Google sponsoring 5,364 approved H-1B visas in fiscal 2024, followed by Meta (4,844), Microsoft (4,725) and Apple (3,873).
科技巨头也依赖 H-1B 项目：在2024财年（fiscal 2024）中，Google 赞助获批的 H-1B 签证为 5,364 份，其次是 Meta（4,844）、Microsoft（4,725）和 Apple（3,873）。
**What does this mean for job competition?**
这对就业竞争意味着什么？
Small businesses and startups are more likely to balk at that $100,000 fee than companies like Amazon, Meta, Apple and Alphabet, the parent company of Google. The four companies have a combined capitalization of about $11.1 trillion.
与 Amazon、Meta、Apple 和 Alphabet（Google 的母公司）这类大公司相比，中小企业和初创公司更可能对这笔10万美元的费用望而却步。这四家公司的总市值约为11.1万亿美元。
The fee could also mean foreign-born workers would be denied entry-level positions, as the $100,000 cost would be too much of a burden to pay for a lower-waged worker.
这笔费用还可能导致外籍员工被拒于初级岗位之外，因为对薪资较低的劳动者而言，支付10万美元的成本负担过于沉重。
Recent college graduates, who are experiencing the worst market for new grads since the Covid-19 pandemic, could stand to gain from job openings if the openings remain in America. That’s particularly good news for computer science and tech-related graduates, who are entering the market amid rounds of layoffs and plummeting opportunities.
对于刚毕业的大学生来说，他们正遭遇自新冠疫情以来对应届生最糟糕的就业市场；如果这些职位空缺能够留在美国，他们有望从中受益。这对计算机科学及相关科技专业的毕业生尤其是好消息，因为他们正赶上多轮裁员、岗位机会大幅下滑的时期进入职场。
**What will companies do?**
公司会怎么做？ 在其2016年竞选期间，特朗普指责美国企业使用H-1B签证“明确目的是以更低的薪酬取代美国工人”。 但据美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）报告，在获批的H-1B申请中，中位数年薪为120,000美元。企业很可能仍会为最优秀的海外人才提供更高的薪资。不过，美国移民委员会（American Immigration Council）指出，这些限制可能会促使企业将招聘计划转移到印度、中国和加拿大等国家。
During his 2016 campaign, Trump accused US companies of using H-1B visas “for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay.”
在2016年竞选期间，特朗普指责美国公司利用H-1B签证（面向专业技术岗位的工作签证）“其明确目的就是以更低的薪酬取代美国工人”。
But the USCIS reported that, of approved H-1B petitions, the median annual compensation was $120,000. Companies will likely continue to offer higher-paying salaries to the best talent pool of foreign workers. But restrictions could make companies shift hiring initiatives abroad to countries like India, China and Canada, according to the American Immigration Council.
但据美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）报告，在获批的 H-1B 申请中，中位数年薪为 120,000 美元。企业很可能会继续为最优秀的外国劳工人才提供更高的薪酬。不过，美国移民委员会（American Immigration Council）指出，这些限制可能会促使企业将招聘举措转移到印度、中国和加拿大等海外国家。
**How are job seekers affected?**
求职者将受到怎样的影响？
Placing limits on H-1B holders doesn’t guarantee Americans will be hired in the impacted sectors. When immigration slowed during the pandemic and following the first Trump administration’s temporary ban on some immigrant visas, it led to record-high job openings.
对H-1B（面向高技能外籍劳工的工作签证）持有人设限，并不能保证受影响行业就会雇用美国本土工人。新冠疫情期间移民放缓、以及特朗普第一届政府一度暂时禁止部分移民签证之后，美国曾出现创纪录的职位空缺。
Economists warned at the time that the worker shortage couldn’t be solved without ramping up immigration.
经济学家当时警告说，如果不增加移民规模，劳动力短缺问题无法得到解决。
“Businesses are having to turn down work because they simply can’t find the workers to do it,” Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the US Chamber of Commerce, told CNN in 2021.
“由于实在找不到能够胜任的工人，企业不得不拒接业务。”美国商会（US Chamber of Commerce）首席政策官Neil Bradley于2021年对CNN表示。
**Could the policy face legal hurdles?**
该政策会面临法律挑战吗？
The new fee on visas is likely to be challenged in US courts.
这项针对签证的新收费很可能在美国法院遭到法律挑战。
“To be clear, the president has literally zero legal authority to impose a $100,000 fee on visas,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, on X. “The only authority Congress has ever given the executive branch here is to charge fees to recover the cost of processing the application.”
“明确地说，总统在法律上完全没有任何授权可以对签证征收10万美元费用，”美国移民委员会（American Immigration Council）高级研究员Aaron Reichlin-Melnick在X（社交平台）上表示。“在这里，国会给予行政部门的唯一权限只是收取费用来弥补处理申请的成本。”