The H-1B visa, which provides a route for international business school graduates and other highly skilled workers to stay in the US after graduating from their studies, currently costs individuals $215 in lottery registration fees and requires an additional $780 from employers to sponsor visa applicants on their behalf.
For international students studying at business schools in the US, the H-1B visa has historically been an essential pathway for staying and working in the country after graduating. Many employers, including top MBA recruiters such as Amazon and Apple, offer H-1B visa sponsorship to foreign MBA and business master’s graduates, among others. However, the introduction of a new six-figure fee could significantly alter this practice.
The change would impact both professionals and employers. Many companies sponsor thousands of H-1B visas each year, including the top sponsor Amazon, which sponsored over 7000 visas in 2024. Most of the top sponsoring companies are major players in the tech sector, though startups and firms in other industries have also offered H-1B sponsorship opportunities.
The H-1B visa: New changes
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant permit, allowing highly skilled workers to live and work in the US on a temporary basis. Currently, H-1B visa holders can work in the US for three years following their graduation from higher education, after which they can apply to extend their stay for a further three years.
To get an H-1B visa, employers must sponsor applicants and petition the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on their behalf. The fee for this sponsorship previously cost companies $780, but the newly announced plans would see this increase to $100,000.
The proposed change is a one-time fee which only applies to new H-1B visas, and current visa-holders outside of the US will not have to pay to re-enter. Under the plans, the fee will come into effect starting in the next upcoming lottery cycle, in February 2026.
It remains to be seen whether business school graduates will enjoy any exemptions from this additional visa charge, as more details are eagerly awaited. Some commentators have expressed concern at this uncertainty, however.
“Irrespective of whether this new order applies to future MBA students or not, it opens a Pandora's box in terms of potential risks and uncertainty for such students in the US market,” wrote Piyush Ranjan, MBA admissions consultant, in a post on LinkedIn.
The H-1B visa in 2025
In 2025, 65,000 H-1B visas were available to highly skilled professionals looking to live and work in the US, with an extra 20,000 visas available for those with a master’s degree or higher. Around 400,000 H-1B visa applications were approved in total last year, with the majority given to people renewing their visas.
Previous changes to the visa, introduced in the fiscal year 2025, meant that applicants names could only be submitted once, even if sponsored by multiple employers. There has also been talk of changing the lottery-based system to a weighted selection program, meaning applicants with higher skills and salaries may have an increased chance of selection, though this has not yet come into force.
Alternatives to the H-1B visa outside the US
Amid the new plans to increase H-1B visa application fees, other countries have taken steps to promote their own visas and highlight their attractiveness to top global talent.
The UK government announced it was exploring plans to abolish some visa fees for global talent, bidding to attract top-level professionals and drive economic growth.
Similarly, China moved to attract international talent through its newly introduced K Visa. The visa, which comes into effect from October, seeks to attract STEM professionals from across the world, offering greater flexibility and no requirement for employer sponsorship, unlike traditional visas including the H-1B scheme.
Whatever happens, international applicants should diversify their options, exploring schools in locations such as India and Europe as alternatives, advised Ranjan.
“Keeping a cool head is critical as you navigate MBA applications,” he wrote. “See the options you have available and then make an informed choice at that time based on the available information.”
