Trump's H-1B Fees to Drive IT Firms to Nearshore Workers
US President Donald Trump's decision to increase the fee for H-1B visas is unlikely to have a major impact on US jobs, but may benefit IT workers in nearshore countries.
The fee for an H-1B high-skilled foreign worker visa has been raised from a few hundred dollars to $100,000, as part of an executive order signed by Trump in mid-September.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that the new costs will discourage US companies from hiring migrant workers for lower wages than what they would pay US employees.
However, experts argue that the more likely outcome is that IT firms will hire more workers from Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Colombia, rather than US residents.
Author's summary: Trump's H-1B fees may drive IT firms to nearshore workers.