Starting in September, the U.S. will impose a 100,000 USD fee for new H-1B professional visa applications. This substantial increase raises concerns about the future prospects of Korean nurses, nursing students, international students, and researchers seeking opportunities in America. Universities and hospitals may find it challenging to absorb these costs in the range of hundreds of millions of KRW for new hires, potentially leading them to abandon visa applications for foreign workers altogether.
On September 27, the White House issued a presidential proclamation stating that new H-1B petitions received after 12:01 a.m. on September 21 will require the 100,000 USD payment. Previously submitted, approved, or renewed petitions are exempt from this fee. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced that detailed implementation guidelines will be released in stages.
The H-1B visa is the primary pathway for U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals. Historically, about 85,000 visas have been issued annually through a lottery system, requiring at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. While widely used across sectors like information technology (IT), healthcare, and engineering, the additional 100,000 USD fee per new application will push the total financial burden to approximately 8.5 billion USD annually.
USCIS guidelines indicate that registered nurses (RNs) typically do not meet the H-1B visa requirements, as a bachelor’s degree is not mandatory for the profession. A 2015 USCIS policy statement also clarified that most RN positions do not qualify as specialty occupations.
Some major hospitals have attempted to recruit specialized RNs or nursing managers under H-1B visas, but analysts predict that this hefty fee may force a reevaluation of hiring strategies. Given the financial constraints many hospitals face, the prospect of incurring additional costs in the range of couple ten thousands USD for new nurse hires could result in sponsors withdrawing their support.
While there have been approved cases for nursing professors and researchers, the 100,000 USD sponsorship cost may lead employers to prioritize hiring U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Professor A from a metropolitan nursing college noted that even if foreign Ph.D. holders prepare for nursing faculty positions in the U.S., universities may struggle to cover the visa costs. This measure could significantly reduce opportunities for Korean nursing researchers in America.
Interestingly, the number of Korean nurses preparing for U.S. licensure is rapidly increasing. According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), approximately 2,600 Korean nationals took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) exam last year, more than triple the previous year’s figure and over ten times higher than five years ago.
Despite the rising number of successful exam takers, the actual employment rate may decline. Many international nursing students have traditionally transitioned from Optional Practical Training (OPT) to H-1B status after graduation. However, if universities opt out of new sponsorships due to this fee, opportunities for international students and faculty candidates will likely diminish.
Nurses preparing for U.S. employment or study are increasingly concerned that they may have to rely solely on the EB-3 (Schedule A) pathway for permanent immigration. While nurses are included in the U.S. Department of Labor’s list of shortage occupations, allowing them to bypass the labor certification process (PERM) for EB-3, the waiting period for priority dates can still take 1–2 years, with the overall green card process often spanning several years.
The EB-3 visa requires U.S. employers to act as sponsors, and both a job offer and approval of the immigration petition (I-140) are essential. For nursing applicants, the limited annual visa quota compared to demand can further extend processing times based on country-specific waiting lists.
Professor B from another metropolitan nursing college emphasized that the increasing number of NCLEX passers is meaningless without visa access. International nursing students must transition from OPT to H-1B after graduation, but this new fee barrier could force many to abandon their American dreams altogether.