The U.S. immigration community is closely watching as USCIS begins implementing the controversial $100,000 H-1B petition fee, even while a major lawsuit filed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce seeks to block the rule before next year’s H-1B lottery.
Background: The Legal ChallengeLate last...
On September 19, 2025, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation requiring a $100,000 payment for certain H-1B petitions. Since then, federal agencies have released several rounds of clarifications.
To help employers, HR professionals, and visa holders understand how this rule is being applied, NPZ Law Group continues to update...
USCIS has released detailed guidance explaining how the $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions—required under the September 19 Presidential Proclamation—will be applied.
According to the update, the new fee: Applies only to new H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21,...The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will continue processing H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, and CW-1 petitions during the government shutdown. However, employers and petitioners should be aware that the shutdown may delay access to required Department of Labor (DOL) certifications, which could affect the timely filing of petitions...
The first major lawsuit has been filed challenging President Trump’s recent Presidential Proclamation requiring a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions. This legal action represents the beginning of what could become a significant test of executive authority in the immigration arena.
On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued a...
In the days following President Trump’s Proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions, federal agencies have begun clarifying how this unprecedented requirement will be applied.
What Agencies Have Confirmed New Petitions Only: The Department of State (DOS), USCIS, and...On September 29, 2025, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) reintroduced a bipartisan bill aimed at reforming the H-1B and L-1 visa programs.
The proposal—known as the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act—seeks to raise wage requirements, tighten compliance rules, and restrict third-party placement of foreign workers.
If enacted,...
In recent weeks, there have been multiple reports of USCIS officers conducting site visits in Minnesota and the Dakotas targeting foreign students and workers with pending applications. The visits have focused on individuals with:
STEM OPT extensions H-1B change of status petitionsOn September 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register (Document No. 2025-18473) that would raise prevailing wage levels for H-1B visa holders. This proposal follows President Trump’s recent Proclamation requiring a $100,000 fee for certain H-1B petitions, and is part of...
On September 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced Project Firewall, a new enforcement initiative aimed at protecting America’s highly skilled workforce and strengthening oversight of the H-1B visa program.
This development follows the recent Presidential Proclamation requiring a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions. Together, these...
