President Donald Trump has issued a bold new proclamation aimed squarely at ending decades of abuse within the H-1B visa program. Originally designed to supplement America’s workforce with rare, high-skilled talent, the program has instead become a pipeline for outsourcing companies to undercut U.S. workers and pad corporate profits.
Trump’s message is clear: no more free ride. Going forward, companies that want to import foreign labor under H-1B will need to pay a hefty $100,000 fee per petition unless they can prove it’s in the national interest. By attaching a real cost to the practice, Trump is restoring market discipline and forcing corporations to think twice before replacing Americans with cheaper foreign labor.
The data tells the story. Between 2000 and 2019, the number of foreign STEM workers in the U.S. more than doubled, while STEM employment overall grew only 44.5 percent. In IT alone, H-1B use jumped from 32 percent of visa holders in 2003 to more than 65 percent in recent years. At the same time, recent graduates in computer science and engineering face unemployment rates double those of art history majors.
It’s not just unfair — it’s economically reckless. Studies show companies can get a 36 percent “discount” on entry-level tech workers through H-1B. No wonder American employees report being forced to train their replacements before being laid off.
Trump’s proclamation also directs the Department of Labor to revise prevailing wage levels, ensuring the program once again attracts only the “best of the best” rather than serving as a back door for cheap labor.
Critics will howl, but the reality is simple: a sovereign nation has every right to prioritize its citizens’ jobs and wages. By holding Big Tech and outsourcing giants accountable, Trump is putting America’s workers, families, and national security ahead of corporate convenience. That’s not just good policy — it’s good business.