Microsoft, JP Morgan, and Amazon have advised their employees on H-1B visas not to leave the United States. The warning follows the Trump administration’s new order that imposes a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas, effective September 21, 2025.
Amazon, in an internal letter, told all H-1B and H-4 visa holders to return to the US by September 21, 12 am ET. H-4 visas are for spouses and children of H-1B workers.
Microsoft also sent a similar email, asking H-1B and H-4 holders to remain in the US “for the foreseeable future.” JP Morgan, through its visa partner Ogletree Deakins, instructed employees to avoid international travel until further government guidance.
The new rule dramatically raises H-1B costs from $1,500 to $100,000 per year. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said companies may need to pay the fee for each of the three years of visa duration, though details are still under review.
Indians are likely to be most affected, as they account for 72% of the nearly 400,000 H-1B visas issued in 2022–23. The Trump administration argues the program has been abused, replacing American workers with lower-paid foreign labor.
