Trump's H-1B Fees to Drive IT Firms to Nearshore Workers
US President Donald Trump's decision to increase the fee for H-1B visas is likely to benefit IT workers in Latin American countries, rather than driving companies to hire more US residents.
The executive order, signed in mid-September, raises the initial fee for an H-1B high-skilled foreign worker visa from a few hundred dollars to $100,000.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that the new costs will discourage US companies from hiring migrant workers for lower wages than what they would pay US employees.
However, experts argue that the more likely outcome is that US companies will hire more IT workers in nearshore countries, such as Mexico and Columbia, rather than hiring more US workers.
Author's summary: Trump's H-1B fees may drive IT firms to nearshore workers.