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New US$ 100,000 Fee for the H-1B Visa in the United States Changes Plans for Qualified Brazilians, Pressures Companies, and Increases Demand for Alternatives in Countries Like Canada, UAE, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The charge of US$ 100,000 for new H-1B visa petitions came into effect in the United States following a presidential proclamation signed on September 19.
The fee must accompany any petition submitted after September 21 and adds to the usual costs of the process, which has led Brazilian professionals and employers to reassess plans and seek alternatives in other work destinations.
According to a report published by Folha de S. Paulo, the decree surprised companies that traditionally use the H-1B to attract specialized labor.
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Extraordinary Fee Changes Calculations for Companies and Candidates
According to the text published by the White House and USCIS operational communications, the requirement for the additional payment of US$ 100,000 applies to new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025.
In practice, the payment accompanies the petition — a document that, by rule, is submitted by the employer — and even reaches cases selected in the 2026 round.
According to investigations by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, the measure was justified by the Trump administration as a way to protect American workers, but experts predict that it will have a direct impact on the hiring of highly qualified foreigners.
The H-1B remains one of the main pathways for highly skilled professionals to work on American soil.
The program maintains the annual cap of 85,000 slots (65,000 in the general cap and 20,000 for those with a master’s or doctorate in the U.S.), with selection by electronic registration and a lottery when demand exceeds supply — a recurring scenario in recent years.
What Is the H-1B and Who Typically Uses It
Created in 1990 to address a shortage of specialized labor, the H-1B requires qualifications compatible with the position and formal employment by a company in the United States.
“In general, the H-1B requires at least a bachelor’s degree and experience in the position. It is widely used by technology, engineering, health, and finance companies that seek qualified talent globally,” says Leda Oliveira, CEO of AG Immigration.
The latest report from USCIS shows that, in 2024, there were 380,700 approved beneficiaries in total.
Among those born in Brazil, there were 2,638 approvals — ninth place in the ranking by country of birth.
The newspaper Folha de S. Paulo also pointed out that, for many of these professionals, the American pathway represented one of the main entry points into global careers in technology and finance.
Immediate Impact on the Interest of Brazilians
With the extraordinary fee, consultancies and human resources departments are reassessing international hiring.
“It is a prohibitive amount for most companies, especially startups and mid-sized firms,” says Oliveira.
As a result, some qualified Brazilian professionals are already seeking alternatives in markets with lower entry barriers.
“We have received dozens of inquiries from Brazilians who have given up the H-1B process and want to redirect their application to Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” reports the executive.
American sector entities have also reacted.
Medical associations sent a formal request to the DHS for an exception to ease the impact of the new charge on hospitals and clinics, which rely on foreign doctors in underserved areas.
Canada, UAE, Australia, and the United Kingdom Enter the Radar
In Canada, the Global Talent Stream remains a highly attractive route for technology, engineering, and science professionals.
The country establishes a quick decision standard, with processing in up to two weeks for eligible and complete files, which facilitates family relocation and accelerates hiring.
In the United Arab Emirates, in addition to typically leaner work processes, the tax advantage is notable: there is no personal income tax.
The country maintains a 5% VAT and adopts corporate tax, but employee salaries do not face direct taxation, a factor that weighs in the talent attraction package for Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Australia reinforces the hunt for engineers, healthcare professionals, and technical fields through lists of in-demand occupations, updated periodically by the government.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom retains appeal among Brazilians with the Skilled Worker visa, the cost structure and requirements of which are detailed in official guides and continue to receive administrative adjustments.
In an interview with the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, experts in international mobility highlighted that these countries are likely to gain prominence in the short term.
Consequences for Employers and the Talent Flow
The sharp increase in cost tends to shift part of the international hiring conducted by American companies to hubs with more predictable immigration policies and a lower total hiring cost.
Meanwhile, Brazilian professionals with two pathways available — H-1B with the additional fee or an alternative route — are reassessing priorities considering net salary, processing time, and the possibility of bringing dependents.
In the words of a 29-year-old software engineer from São Paulo, who requested to remain anonymous in the original text, the plan changed direction when the extraordinary fee came into view: there had been two years of preparation to attempt the H-1B, but the candidate decided to explore positions in Canada in light of the new cost scenario.
What to Expect from Litigation and the Seasonality of the H-1B
Immigration experts believe that the legality of the extraordinary charge will be challenged in court, especially since it is not part of the traditional fee structure nor the law that created the H-1B.
“It is likely that we will see legal disputes in the coming months,” predicts Leda Oliveira.
Even with the legal battle on the horizon, the H-1B cycle follows known parameters: electronic registration at the beginning of the year, selection by beneficiary, and if chosen, submission of the petition within deadlines.
The requirement for the additional payment, in turn, is already included in recent operational guidance and will apply to new petitions submitted after September 21.
Is Recalculating the Route Worth It?
As the market absorbs the cost shock, qualified Brazilians weigh between insisting on the American pathway, negotiating with employers willing to cover the new fee, or shifting strategies to countries with more stable rules and predictable timelines.
In this balance, real post-tax compensation, mobility for spouses, and diploma recognition also weigh heavily.
Given the new price level for the H-1B, which path do you consider more rational for advancing in your international career now?
Ninguém mais está querendo ir para os EUA, nem para trabalho, muito menos para turismo!
Uma excelente ação, tem que se valorizar para valorizar o seu país de origem👍