Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Immigration
Sarah Thamer

Trump’s $100K H1-B visa fee could hit major Minnesota companies, institutions

The Mayo Clinic, located in downtown Rochester, Minnesota, is part of an effort to spur innovation and economic development.
Mayo Clinic in downtown Rochester, Minnesota, is a top employer using H-1B visas.
Photo courtesy of Jerry Olson

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

The White House has issued an order requiring a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions — a significant increase from the few thousand dollars some employers currently pay. 

The H-1B visa is a type of work permit that lets U.S. companies hire foreign workers for jobs that require special skills, usually in fields like medicine, engineering, computer science or research.

Companies use it when they can’t find enough qualified American workers for those jobs. Each year, the government sets a cap on H-1B visas and employers have to apply through a lottery system.

In Minnesota, places like Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota and major tech firms rely on H-1B workers to fill roles like doctors, medical researchers and software engineers. According to federal government data, 541 Minnesota companies over several years have petitioned the program through the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal year.

Minnesota companies and H-1B visas U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services H-1B data

Loan Huynh, immigration attorney with Fredrikson and Byron in Minneapolis, says the steep new cost could shut many employers out of the program.

“This fee will make it nearly impossible for many employers to sponsor foreign national workers that they desperately need,” Huynh said.

Huynh said in Minnesota, some employers pay up to $6,000 in federal filing fees for an H-1B petition. The exact amount depends on employer size. 

Under the new order, any new H-1B petition filed after Sept. 21 must include a $100,000 supplemental fee on top of the existing filing costs. That turns a few-thousand-dollar process into a six-figure one for each worker.

Large medical employers such as Mayo Clinic sponsor H-1B workers for clinical and research roles. 

The University of Minnesota and other colleges use H-1Bs for faculty and research staff. International scholars often fill jobs that require specialized degrees. 

Minnesota tech firms, medical-device makers and advanced manufacturers rely on H-1B hires for engineering and data roles. Local employers large and small could be affected depending on whether they can meet exceptions. 

Huynh says companies may try to seek waivers, but the rules are as yet unclear.

In a statement to MPR News, the University of Minnesota did not address questions about the H-1B visa specifically, but wrote in part, “Recruiting international students and scholars has been and will remain a firm commitment. They are an essential part of the University of Minnesota, bringing new knowledge and experiences to our University for 150 years. Those in our community who are affected by immigration policies will continue to be vital to the success of our state and the University long into the future.” 

The change is intended to limit program abuse, officials with President Donald Trump’s administration say, but immigration lawyers and business groups warn it will make it much harder for U.S. employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers. Lawyers also warn some companies may shift some work overseas, where other countries are offering easier visa paths.