In a new Department of Homeland Security proposal released on September 3, employers who are applying for H-1B visas in next year’s lottery would be required to pay an additional $10. This fee would go toward the electronic preregistration process used for the lottery.
The fee is in addition to current fees which range from $1,250 to $2,000 per applicant based on company size, and the additional $4,000 per applicant applied to companies with high proportions of temporary foreign workers.
As previously reported, with the pre-registration system, companies who seek an H-1B visa for a foreign worker would first submit a free online registration form. Then, authorities with USCIS would determine which select registrations would move forward in the application process, with new visas awarded by lottery.
The system was introduced as a free process which would streamline the lottery for employers. USCIS says the system is expected to save between $42.7 and $66.8 million annually.