Washington: The incoming Trump administration is poised to spare physicians from a steep new $100,000 surcharge on H-1B visa applications, offering relief to a sector already grappling with provider shortages in underserved regions. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Bloomberg News that the executive action signed by President Donald Trump includes provisions for exemptions, potentially covering physicians and medical residents.
The policy, unveiled last week, empowers the US Secretary of Homeland Security to waive the substantial fee on a case-by-case basis or even for entire companies or sectors when deemed vital to national interests. “Ultimately, the Trump Administration defers to the language in the proclamation,” Rogers emphasized.
This development follows urgent warnings from major medical associations about the potential for exacerbated doctor shortages in rural America, where access to healthcare providers is already critically limited. Industry leaders have cautioned that the exorbitant charge could drastically curb the influx of international medical graduates essential to filling these gaps.
The White House’s announcement replaces the longstanding $215 filing fee along with minor ancillary costs with the $100,000 levy for H-1B petitions. Officials have moved swiftly to calm corporate anxieties, confirming the measure spares current visa holders and ensures no disruptions for overseas travel by existing H-1B staff, who won’t face the fee upon re-entry. The rule activated at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Sunday.
H-1B visas enable US firms to recruit foreign talent possessing specialized expertise and at least a bachelor’s degree equivalent. Valid initially for three years and renewable for another three, these visas support roughly 700,000 holders nationwide, plus about 500,000 dependents, according to Stephen Brown, an economist at Capital Economics, in a recent analysis.
Data from the Pew Research Centre reveals that since 2012, at least 60 percent of approved H-1B visas have gone to computer-related roles, though hospitals, financial institutions, academic institutions, and diverse other employers routinely seek them. Annual issuance is restricted to 65,000 slots, with an extra 20,000 reserved for advanced-degree holders, allocated via lottery. Exemptions from these caps apply to universities and nonprofit organizations.
Pew’s figures further indicate that nearly three-quarters of 2023 approvals benefited applicants from India.
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