The sharp increase in US H1B visa fees has caused chaos in Silicon Valley.

Recently, President Trump signed a proclamation increasing the fee that companies pay for H-1B temporary work visas from thousands of dollars to $100,000. This new policy took effect on September 21st. American media reports that the sudden surge in visa fees has caused confusion among technology companies. Some companies have already notified their employees not to travel and to postpone any plans to go abroad, out of concern that the new rules will make renewing permits or reapplying for visas more complicated. Although the US government later clarified that the new rule only applies to new visa applications, the confusion highlights the challenges facing American companies. The H-1B visa is a temporary work visa in the United States, typically valid for three years and extendable to six years. This visa allows American companies to hire foreign professional technical workers to fill domestic job vacancies, and it is also used by American technology companies to attract highly educated foreign talent. There are 85,000 visa slots available each year.