New $100,000 US visa fee threatens future for Nigerian skilled workers

A new executive order from US President Donald Trump imposing a $100,000 annual fee on new H-1B visa applications directly threatens the prospects of Nigerian professionals seeking opportunities in the United States.

The move, which the administration states is aimed at curbing “abuse” of the programme, has sparked immediate anxiety and could effectively block a key pathway for Nigeria’s skilled workforce.

The order, set to come into force on 21 September, threatens to price out all but the largest corporations from sponsoring foreign talent. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that companies would have to pay the fee for each applicant for six years, a potential total cost of $600,000 per employee.

“The company needs to decide… is the person valuable enough to have a $100,000-a-year payment to the government, or they should head home, and they should go hire an American,” Secretary Lutnick said.

The policy represents a monumental increase from the current administrative fees, which total around $1,500. It threatens to disrupt the plans of thousands, including Nigerian nationals who are consistently among the top recipients of these visas. The potential for additional restrictions has previously caused considerable concern in countries that are major sources of applicants, such as India.

Immigration attorneys and industry experts immediately criticized the move. Tahmina Watson, a founding attorney at Watson Immigration Law, warned the ruling could be a “nail in the coffin” for many clients, stating that “almost everyone’s going to be priced out.”

Jorge Lopez, the chair of the immigration and global mobility practice group at Littler Mendelson PC, said a $100,000 fee “will put the brakes on American competitiveness in the tech sector and all industries,” suggesting some companies might consider setting up operations outside the US.

The order creates a clear contradiction within the Trump administration’s own messaging. While the President told reporters in January that he understands “both sides of the argument” on H-1Bs, he had also previously vowed on the campaign trail to make the process of attracting talent easier.

For Nigerian skilled workers, the new fee threatens to shut down a critical avenue for career advancement and economic opportunity in the United States.