HB1 Visa Crisis: Amazon, Google and others advice workers not to travel

Every sunrise is an invitation to a fresh start. Leave yesterday behind and embrace the beautiful new beginning that awaits.

HB1 Visa Crisis: Amazon, Google and others advice workers not to travel

What started as a typical Friday in tech quickly became a weekend crisis. President Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, prompting Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to issue urgent memos warning their H-1B employees to avoid international travel and return to the U.S. before the rules took effect Sunday at 12:01 AM Eastern.

Amazon leads all companies in H-1B approvals this fiscal year, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple. These represent thousands of engineers, data scientists, and researchers who form the backbone of tech innovation. Internal communications obtained by media outlets show companies caught off-guard by the timing and severity of the change.

What is striking is the precautionary nature of these warnings. While White House officials later clarified that existing H-1B holders retain normal travel rights and the fee only applies to new applications, companies felt the risk was too great. This disconnect reveals how uncertainty itself has become a powerful force in immigration policy.

The $100,000 fee represents a fundamental shift in high-skilled immigration. For smaller companies, this could price them out of global talent pools, creating advantages for tech giants with deeper pockets. Meanwhile, countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia are actively courting the same workers with streamlined processes and clearer paths to citizenship.

Beyond corporate strategy are individual stories. Workers canceled family visits abroad, rushed back from conferences, and faced new anxiety layers in an already stressful immigration system. Many H-1B holders already navigate complex visa renewals and years-long green card waits.

The economic implications extend far beyond tech. H-1B workers contribute significantly to local economies and often become entrepreneurs creating American jobs. Companies are already recalculating strategies, likely accelerating remote work investments, domestic training programs, and international expansion.

The H-1B program has long been controversial, critics argue it depresses American wages while supporters say it’s essential for technological leadership. The new fee attempts to make the program self-funding while reducing usage.

The weekend of September 21, 2025, may mark a pivotal moment between American immigration policy and the tech industry. The sight of the world’s most powerful companies scrambling to protect employees captures the human cost of policy uncertainty in our interconnected economy.