Why Trump’s H-1B fee threatens hospitals, foreign physicians, and patients. getty
When the White House announced that all new H-1B visa petitions would now carry a $100,000 supplemental fee, headlines quickly focused on tech. Silicon Valley has long relied on H-1B visas to recruit engineers from abroad. Yet the bigger impact may not fall on code-writers in California, but on deepening the doctor shortage in communities already struggling.
With hospitals struggling to find enough staff, this visa fee could make it tougher to bring in foreign physicians — worsening problems with access, fairness, and patient care.
The Policy Shift in Context
The H-1B program has long served as a gateway for highly skilled foreign workers. The new presidential proclamation requires employers to pay a on