Sep 22, 2025 PM EDT - Jason

H-1B $100,000 Fee: What’s Changing — And How It Hits Employers, Global Talent, and Korean Stakeholders

After a flurry of weekend headlines, the U.S. government has now clarified how the new $100,000 H-1B fee will work. According to USCIS, the payment must accompany any new H-1B petition filed on or after 12:01 a.m. ET, Sept. 21, 2025. It does not apply to existing H-1B holders or renewals. Early media summaries framed the impact as starting with the 2026 cap; in practice, the USCIS text captures any new filing from Sept. 21 onward-including cap-exempt petitions filed this fall. Employers should budget and