More than 200,000 applicants paid USD 100,000 for H-1B visas to work in the US, according to Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee testimony, he noted that the DHS received approximately 286,000 applications for the H-1B 2027 season.
“We had 286,000 applicants a year to date for the H-1B visas. Out of those, over 200,000 of them paid the $100,000 to be able to come in, because it allows us to process them in a little bit faster manner,” Mullin said in response to a question by US Senator Susan Collins on the shortage of qualified medical professionals in rural parts of the country.
On May 22, USCIS announced the number of properly submitted registrations plummeted by 38.5%, from 343,981 in fiscal year 2026 to just 211,600 in fiscal year 2027. Of this, 71.5% of selected foreign workers hold a U.S. master’s degree or higher, compared to 57% last year, and only 17.7% of all selected registrations were in the lowest wage category.
Starting September 21, 2025, US employers need to pay a $100,000 petition fee for H-1B visas for hiring each foreign worker.
Health care workers in the US call for an exemption from the $100,000 filing fee for H-1B visas. A bipartisan letter, signed by 100 lawmakers and supported by the American Hospital Association (AHA), was sent by members of Congress on February 11 to the Department of Homeland Security, demanding an exemption from the $100,000 filing fee for H-1B visas.
$100,000 fee exemption
The new H-1B $100K rules allow US employers to request an exception for their foreign workers if they believe their worker meets a high threshold by sending a request and supporting evidence to DHS. “We do have some authority and flexibility to be able to waive some of this on case by case,” said Mullin in his response.
An exception can be granted in rare cases where a foreign H-1B worker’s presence in the US is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the US’s security or welfare, or if no American worker is available.
However, an exemption from the $100k petition fee could be a time-consuming process. “If people want to look for an exemption, and come in that process, which we had roughly 80,000 look for a different path forward, it takes about seven and a half months to go through that process to be able to exempt them,” informs Mullin.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. H-1B visa rules, petition fees, and exemption criteria are subject to change by regulatory or legislative action. Applicants, employers, and healthcare institutions are advised to consult a qualified US immigration attorney for guidance specific to their circumstances.