Employees working at some of the largest corporations in the technology and financial services sectors, who are currently in the United States under H‑1B visa status, have been urged to remain within the country’s borders following an unexpected executive action by President Donald Trump. This directive, announced without prior warning, dramatically increases the financial burden associated with international travel for visa holders and, in many cases, makes their return practically unattainable once they leave the US. The abrupt order has created a climate of uncertainty, compelling companies to issue urgent advisories to their foreign-born workers, particularly those who play critical roles in engineering, software development, and other highly specialized fields.
According to internal communications reviewed by Business Insider, several prominent employers—including Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and Meta—rapidly issued guidance to their employees in response to the new policy. On Friday evening, the President signed an executive mandate stipulating that companies must pay a mandatory fee of $100,000 for every single H‑1B visa application or renewal submitted. The measure, scheduled to take effect on September 21 at precisely 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, effectively prevents H‑1B workers from reentering the country after that deadline unless their sponsoring firm agrees to bear the immense financial cost.
At Amazon, for instance, an internal notice was posted just before 9 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday evening through the company’s human resources portal. The advisory stated that employees currently residing in the United States on H‑1B status should remain in the country, even if they had immediate travel arrangements scheduled. For individuals holding H‑1B or H‑4 visas who were already abroad, the message emphasized the necessity of returning before the newly imposed deadline. The company made it clear that anyone unable to reenter prior to the cutoff should refrain from attempting to cross back into the US until fresh guidance could be issued. Amazon, which employed nearly 15,000 H‑1B workers during fiscal year 2024 according to federal data, has not yet provided an official public response to Business Insider’s inquiries about the matter.
Other industry giants moved quickly to implement similar measures. Within hours of the President’s announcement, employees at Microsoft, Meta, and JPMorgan Chase reported receiving parallel advisories. Multiple staff members at Microsoft confirmed that internal communications instructed visa holders currently in the US to remain in the country “for the foreseeable future.” Meanwhile, those situated outside the US were strongly encouraged to make all possible efforts to return before the deadline. Acknowledging that the abrupt restrictions may disrupt existing travel plans, Microsoft nonetheless emphasized that the priority must be to avoid the possibility of being denied reentry. The guidance sympathetically recognized that some employees would face considerable logistical difficulties in arranging return travel on such short notice, but reiterated the importance of compliance with the recommendations. To manage the growing anxiety among its staff, the memo noted: while comprehensive answers were not yet available, employees should place their trust in the company’s ongoing directives and prioritize remaining in compliance with immigration rules.
Neither Microsoft nor Meta provided immediate public comment following requests from Business Insider. JPMorgan Chase, which has historically been one of the largest financial sponsors of H‑1B visas, also withheld an immediate response. Business Insider had previously reported that JPMorgan sponsored nearly 2,000 H‑1B visa applications last year alone, primarily concentrated among employees with technical roles, particularly those involving software-related expertise.
The cascade of urgent guidance across the tech and finance sectors demonstrates the sweeping disruption this policy stands to unleash. The United States technology industry, in particular, relies extensively on highly skilled immigrants to fill roles that require advanced technical qualifications in fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and cloud computing. Leading technology firms including Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Apple consistently rank among the top sponsors of H‑1B workers, relying upon the program to maintain a competitive edge in an international market where demand for top-tier talent far exceeds domestic supply.
The newly imposed $100,000 mandatory fee, applicable to both initial visa petitions and routine renewals, represents a monumental change in immigration policy. Senior officials in the administration explained that the rationale behind this decision is to ensure that only employees of extraordinary value will be retained under the program and to increase the incentive for companies to invest in the training and development of American workers. As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick articulated during the announcement, the administration’s position is straightforward: either a foreign professional is regarded as indispensable to both their company and the country, or their role will be filled by a US citizen.
The issue of H‑1B visas has long been contentious and politically charged, particularly as Trump approaches a second term in office. Although some influential figures within the President’s orbit have championed restrictions, others, including high-profile tech leaders such as Elon Musk, have voiced strong support for preserving and even expanding the visa system. Trump himself has historically expressed favorable views of the program, describing it as a constructive tool for supplementing the American workforce. In a December interview with the New York Post, the President stated enthusiastically that he has personally relied on H‑1B visas for his own businesses and believes the system to be a valuable program.
As this newest executive order takes immediate effect, uncertainty pervades workplaces and households alike, with thousands of skilled professionals caught in a complex web of immigration politics, business imperatives, and personal circumstances. For employees, the implications are not limited to career trajectories but extend to stability, family life, and financial planning. For employers, the regulation imposes significant strategic and operational challenges, as they are forced to navigate unprecedented costs, potential labor shortages, and the disruption of global talent pipelines. In short, this decision represents a watershed moment for the US labor market, underscoring both the fragility and the importance of immigration programs in sustaining the country’s technological and financial dominance.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/big-tech-employees-h-1b-visa-travel-return-trump-eo-2025-9
