Tech giants warn H-1B visa users not to leave the US or return before September 22

A series of US technology and financial corporations this weekend issued urgent guidance to employees, after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order applying a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications.

Amazon and Microsoft owned more than 15,000 H-1B visas last year, according to data from the US Department of Homeland Security - Photo (illustration): Financial Times

The H-1B visa has long been a tool Silicon Valley tech giants rely on to recruit engineers, scientists , and programmers from abroad. Last fiscal year alone, about 400,000 H-1B applications were approved, most of them extensions.

Amazon and Microsoft held more than 15,000 H-1B visas last year, according to data from the US Department of Homeland Security.

According to the Financial Times , immediately after the decree was signed, Amazon and Microsoft advised employees holding H-1B visas not to leave the US, and asked those currently abroad to return before the regulation takes effect on Sunday (September 21).

JPMorgan, the largest bank in the US, has issued similar advice. Goldman Sachs sent out an internal memo urging employees to "exercise caution when traveling internationally".

The immigration law firm Fragomen, which handles many H-1B cases, also advised clients to return to the US before September 22.

Amid widespread confusion, the White House clarified on September 21 that the $100,000 fee only applies to new applications in the next lottery, not to those who currently hold or renew a visa.

" Those who have an H-1B and are currently outside the US will NOT be charged a re-entry fee ," spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. She stressed that H-1B holders can still travel to and from the US "as usual."

This contradicts earlier statements by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who said the fee would be collected annually. To ensure consistency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow directed staff to ensure decisions are consistent with the new guidance.

The White House says the policy is aimed at encouraging businesses to hire American workers and providing certainty in the job market, but critics say the move could be counterproductive.

Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator (USA), said that Mr. Trump's decision "was a big mistake", turning into "a huge gift to overseas technology centers" such as Toronto and Vancouver in Canada. He wrote: "In the middle of the AI ​​race, we tell innovators to go elsewhere."

Canadian businesses see this as an opportunity. Goldy Hyder, president of the Business Council of Canada, called on the government to "redouble its efforts to attract talent." Financial expert Alex Tapscott said: "America's loss could be Canada's gain."

India, the country with the largest number of H-1B holders, expressed concern that the new policy could "have humanitarian consequences, disrupting family life".

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stressed that global human capital exchange has contributed immensely to technological innovation, economic growth and prosperity for both the US and India.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cac-ong-lon-cong-nghe-canh-bao-nguoi-dung-visa-h-1b-khong-nen-roi-my-hoac-tro-ve-truoc-22-9-20250921093631855.htm