Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) on 8 March introduced the "Welcoming International Success Act," a bill that would overturn President Trump’s September 2025 proclamation imposing a US$100,000 fee and elevated prevailing-wage thresholds on every new H-1B petition. The draft legislation would also direct the Department of Labor to restore the 2024 wage-level methodology and prohibit any future “extra-statutory surcharges” on cap cases. Coleman argues that the proclamation has priced out universities, hospitals and start-ups that rely on foreign specialists.
![Welcoming International Success Act Seeks to Scrap $100K H-1B Fee and Wage Floor]()
For employers and professionals trying to keep track of shifting visa costs and requirements, services like VisaHQ can streamline the process by providing up-to-date guidance, document preparation, and application tracking; their U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) consolidates the latest regulatory updates and can help users assess fee obligations or alternatives under the current H-1B regime.
According to the American Hospital Association, H-1B filings for physicians fell 38 percent in the current season, worsening rural-care shortages. Tech coalitions say small employers are opting for near-shoring because they cannot front six-figure fees per worker. The Act has five Democratic co-sponsors and is backed by the US Chamber of Commerce and the Information Technology Industry Council, signalling rare alignment between labour advocates and big business. However, House Republican leadership has not yet scheduled a hearing, and the bill faces opposition from members pushing the stricter PAUSE Act. If adopted, the measure would apply retroactively to petitions filed on or after 21 September 2025, triggering a complex refund process. Immigration counsel advise clients to preserve proof of payment in expectation of potential credits or rebates. Even without passage, the proposal intensifies pressure on USCIS and DHS, which are already defending at least three lawsuits contesting the fee as an unlawful tax. Mobility managers should model both scenarios—maintaining budgets for the new weighted lottery while preparing for a possible rollback later this year.
For employers and professionals trying to keep track of shifting visa costs and requirements, services like VisaHQ can streamline the process by providing up-to-date guidance, document preparation, and application tracking; their U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) consolidates the latest regulatory updates and can help users assess fee obligations or alternatives under the current H-1B regime.
According to the American Hospital Association, H-1B filings for physicians fell 38 percent in the current season, worsening rural-care shortages. Tech coalitions say small employers are opting for near-shoring because they cannot front six-figure fees per worker. The Act has five Democratic co-sponsors and is backed by the US Chamber of Commerce and the Information Technology Industry Council, signalling rare alignment between labour advocates and big business. However, House Republican leadership has not yet scheduled a hearing, and the bill faces opposition from members pushing the stricter PAUSE Act. If adopted, the measure would apply retroactively to petitions filed on or after 21 September 2025, triggering a complex refund process. Immigration counsel advise clients to preserve proof of payment in expectation of potential credits or rebates. Even without passage, the proposal intensifies pressure on USCIS and DHS, which are already defending at least three lawsuits contesting the fee as an unlawful tax. Mobility managers should model both scenarios—maintaining budgets for the new weighted lottery while preparing for a possible rollback later this year.
