The Trump administration has formally published a new presidential proclamation that keeps in place the unprecedented restriction on the entry of many H-1B specialty-occupation workers unless their U.S. employer pays an additional US$100,000 per petition. The proclamation, released for public inspection in today’s Federal Register, extends Proclamation 10973 of September 19 2025 for a further 12 months, pushing the sunset date to 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21 2027. In explaining the extension, the White House points to measurable effects the surcharge and a companion weighted-lottery rule have had on the H-1B program over the past year: a 92 percent drop in registrations from the largest IT staffing firms, a 97 percent plunge in consular processing requests, and a dramatic shift toward higher-paid, advanced-degree candidates. Officials argue that without continuing the policy, “progress will halt and program abuse will resume, undermining American workers.” Operationally, employers must continue to obtain proof of the US$100,000 payment before filing any H-1B petition for a beneficiary who is outside the United States. Consular officers and CBP will verify payment before issuing a visa or admitting the worker. Exemptions remain possible if the Homeland Security Secretary finds the entry to be in the national interest. For corporate mobility and talent-acquisition teams, the extension cements an expensive new cost-center for bringing overseas talent to the United States. The policy effectively limits the H-1B route to senior-level or niche roles for which the six-figure levy can be justified, accelerates the pivot toward remote-offshore staffing, and raises the stakes for compliance failures. Employers should review their FY 2027 registration strategies, budgeting processes, and alternative visa options (L-1, E-2, TN, O-1, etc.) well before next spring’s cap season. Immigration attorneys also warn that the proclamation’s heavy reliance on payment evidence could lead to consular delays and port-of-entry secondary inspection if documentation is incomplete. Companies are advised to centralize record-keeping and to prepare traveler packets that include proof of payment, the petition receipt, and the exemption analysis, if applicable.
