Details the H-1B changes — and why more changes could be coming

A few weeks ago, President Trump announced that the H-1B visa application fee would rise to $100,000. The price sent shockwaves through the technology ecosystem, exacerbating the problem Visa is used extensively To bring talent from other countries.

For stocks this week We sat with Jeremy Newfield, director of immigration policy at the Progress Institute, to talk about the visa changes, what they mean, and why they’re happening.

He said the intention to change the visa was logical, but its implementation “left a lot to be desired.”

“Some of the proposals they ended up settling on either had loopholes or prioritized the wrong thing,” he said. As a result, he said, the visa changes will likely have the opposite effect than the Trump administration intended. “It will be a huge tax on us to bring in the best researchers from all over the world.”

But despite all the shock, there are a lot of people who support the visa changes. Neufeld said it makes sense to ensure that the 85,000 open H-1B visa slots actually go to valuable workers, and that it makes sense to charge fees to ensure that only the best apply — and get the visa.

He also spoke about allegations that companies were abusing the visa. But he said again that there are loopholes in the changes that are difficult to ignore.

Elsewhere in the conversation, we talked about other changes being made to the visa, such as the wage levels required. We pondered the reasons the Trump administration made the visa change and the possibilities for more visa changes before the lottery takes place in the spring. Neufeld also spoke about the impact this will have on the global technology landscape and employment.

“I think a lot of people will be deterred from coming to the United States,” he said.

In general, there are many uncertainties related to almost every aspect of changing a visa. He said the changes are currently in a “notice and comment period,” where comments are being accepted from members of the public. Given the reactions to the change, more could be coming.