If the $100,000 fee for H-1B visas for the United States remains in place for a sustained period of time, it will undermine U.S. innovative competitiveness and hurt job growth in science and technology-intensive industries. On Sept. 19, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation restricting the entry of foreign citizens under the H-1B visa program, except for those ''whose petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000,'' effective just two days later at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, Sept. 21. The executive order's broad language and quick implementation period triggered technology companies employing large numbers of H-1B visa holders to urge visa holders to remain in the United States and for those abroad to try to return before Sept. 21. U.S. officials have attempted to ease immediate concerns by saying that the new fee will not be charged to existing visa holders, nor will they need...
