Trump adds $100,000 fee for high-skilled foreign workers in major visa overhaul

"One of the orders creates a new visa category for people willing to pay $1 million to enter the U.S., or whose employers are willing to pay the U.S $2 million to sponsor them. While signing the order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump dubbed the new visa the "Trump Gold Card." "This program will raise more than $100 billion, which we'll use for cutting taxes and paying down debt," Trump said."

"'Congress will have to approve it,' the official said. The 'Platinum Card' will cost $5 million. It will allow foreigners to spend up to 270 days in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income. The second executive order Trump signed Friday was a proclamation that aims to implement a new $100,000 fee for high-skilled workers to enter the country through the H1-B visa program,"

Two executive orders create high-fee visa pathways and impose steep H-1B fees to raise revenue. One order establishes a new investor-style visa requiring $1 million from applicants or $2 million from sponsoring employers and is labeled the "Trump Gold Card," projected to raise more than $100 billion for tax cuts and debt reduction. Administration officials described a proposed 'Platinum Card' costing $5 million that would replace the investor visa and permit up to 270 days' residence without U.S. tax on foreign income. The second order directs a $100,000 H-1B fee aimed at curbing program abuse and protecting American workers. H-1B visas are capped at 85,000 annually and require employer attestations of comparable pay and inability to find U.S. workers.

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