Washington, D.C., November 9, 2021: The proposed reconciliation bill released by the U.S. House of Representatives (lower chamber of the US Congress) includes increased filing fees for employers and applicants seeking immigration benefits in the United States. The proposed changes would impact employers seeking to sponsor skilled immigrants, as well as individual families seeking visas for family reunification.

For example, one proposal in the bill seeks to add a $500 fee for employers seeking to sponsor H-1B skilled workers for temporary work visas. Current include a $460 application fee, $500 anti-fraud detection fee, a $4,000 fee for certain businesses with large numbers of nonimmigrant workers, and a $2,500 for 15-day premium processing to ensure that the application receives a decision from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a timely fashion. Visa fees for H-1B visas cannot be shifted by the U.S. employer onto the foreign worker.

Employers facing a labor shortage in the U.S. will likely pay the additional fees. Employers report persistent shortages in skilled workers and non-skilled workers.

Donoso & Partners, a leading immigration law firm based in Washington, D.C., will continue to report on developments regarding the immigration law and policy through our news section of donosolaw.com.