US Visa Costs Could Reshape Specialist Hiring

27 August 2026

The United States is proposing a dramatic change to the economics of recruiting highly skilled overseas workers.

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed an additional $103,265 fee for cap-subject H-1B visa petitions, on top of existing immigration fees.

The H-1B programme is heavily used by technology, engineering, research and other specialist industries.

The proposal has now been formally published for public comment and is not yet in force.

Reuters reports that traditional visa costs were generally in the low thousands of dollars, meaning the proposed charge would represent a fundamental change in hiring economics for some employers.

The wider corporate lesson is:

Workforce continuity can depend upon regulation in exactly the same way as physical supply chains do.

UK Impact

UK businesses with US subsidiaries regularly move specialist employees internationally.

Affected functions can include:

• Technology.
• Engineering.
• Research and development.
• Financial services.
• Pharmaceuticals.
• Consulting.
• Advanced manufacturing.

The immediate proposal concerns the US H-1B system, but the risk lesson is broader.

Companies can become dependent upon the assumption that specialist skills can be moved between countries when required.

Changes to:

• Visa cost.
• Eligibility.
• Processing time.
• Sponsorship rules.

can quickly alter that assumption.

Global Impact

DHS estimates that the proposed additional charge could generate approximately $8.8 billion annually, based on 85,000 cap-subject petitions. Certain universities, nonprofit research organisations and other cap-exempt petitions would not be covered.

The proposed fee is subject to regulatory process and legal scrutiny, and businesses should not treat it as an existing charge.

However, it is large enough that companies reliant upon international specialist recruitment should consider the possible consequences now.

For some roles, a $103,265 additional cost could materially change:

• Recruitment economics.
• Project staffing.
• Location decisions.
• Graduate hiring.
• Internal transfers.
• Outsourcing decisions.

Our View

Businesses should identify roles where international mobility is itself a critical operational dependency.

Companies should ask:

• Which projects rely upon overseas specialists?
• Which employees require visas?
• Are essential skills available locally?
• How long would local recruitment take?
• Could work be performed from another jurisdiction?
• Would the project remain viable if visa costs rose substantially?
• Are immigration costs included in project budgets?
• Can technical knowledge be transferred to more than one employee?
• Are key skills concentrated in individuals whose mobility is uncertain?
• Could remote working provide genuine continuity?
• Are alternative visa categories available where appropriate?
• Is workforce planning monitoring immigration policy as a business risk?

Supply-chain mapping normally follows materials.

It should sometimes follow people.

A project can have its equipment, financing and customers fully secured and still be unable to proceed because the specialist needed to deliver it cannot economically or legally reach the site.

Risk Indicator: ELEVATED – WORKFORCE & INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

Disclaimer

The information contained within these Market Alerts is provided for general market awareness and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, investment, regulatory or insurance advice. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication using multiple reputable and independently verified sources, geopolitical events, legislation, regulation and market conditions may change rapidly. Readers should obtain appropriate professional advice before acting upon any information contained herein.

Invictus Risk Solutions LLP – Helping organisations stay ahead of emerging risks through informed insight and independent analysis.