Donald Trump’s $100K H-1B visa fee sparks tech chaos; Nvidia and OpenAI CEOs respond, announce $100B investment. Photo: X.
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order introducing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications. The newly announced changes to the H-1B visa program confused Silicon Valley over the weekend, prompting big tech companies to study the implications for their employees.
Amazon, Microsoft, and other major tech companies warned H-1B visa holders not to leave the United States, or to return promptly if already abroad, as the changes raised uncertainty about travel and compliance.
On Saturday, the White House clarified that the six-figure fee would apply only to new visa applicants, not to those who had already obtained an H-1B visa. Officials emphasized that the fee is intended to ensure the program brings highly skilled workers to the U.S., rather than filling positions that could go to American employees.
Despite the confusion, two of Silicon Valley’s most prominent leaders expressed cautious optimism. CNBC interviewed Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Monday regarding the new policy.
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Huang, whose company is one of the largest employers of H-1B visa holders in the US, said, “We want all the brightest minds to come to the United States. Remember, immigration is the foundation of the American dream, and we represent the American dream. Immigration is really important to our company and to our nation’s future, and I’m glad to see President Trump making the moves he’s making.”
According to reports, Nvidia had filed 1,519 H-1B applications out of its 36,000 employees worldwide at the end of fiscal year 2025.
Altman made similar comments, saying, “We need to get the smartest people in the country, and streamlining that process and also sort of aligning financial incentives seems good to me.”
Huang and Altman appeared together during the interview to announce a $100 billion investment from Nvidia into OpenAI, underscoring their close collaboration and continued focus on innovation despite policy changes.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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