Doctors may be spared $1,00,000 H-1B visa fee

The White House has indicated that doctors may be exempted from the recently announced $100,000 application fee for high-skilled H-1B visas, following widespread concern from the medical community.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Bloomberg News that the executive order signed by President Donald Trump includes provisions for exemptions.

“The proclamation allows for potential exemptions, which can include physicians and medical residents,” Rogers said in a statement.

Related news: Explained: What is the H-1B visa and who benefits from it?

The executive order, which took effect Sunday, authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive the fee if hiring a worker is deemed “in the national interest.”

This clause could apply to doctors, especially in light of warnings about worsening physician shortages in rural areas.

Since the announcement, several major medical organisations have voiced alarm that the steep fee could deter international medical graduates from entering the US, potentially exacerbating healthcare access issues in underserved regions.

Currently, the base H-1B application fee is $215, plus other smaller processing charges.

The new $100,000 fee marks a dramatic increase, but the White House has clarified that it does not apply to current H-1B visa holders or those travelling abroad for work-related reasons.

H-1B visas allow US employers to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields, primarily in tech and healthcare. Valid for three years and renewable once, there are an estimated 700,000 H-1B visa holders in the US, along with roughly 500,000 dependents, according to economist Stephen Brown.

Each year, 65,000 new H-1B visas are issued through a lottery system, with an additional 20,000 reserved for individuals holding advanced degrees.