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Monday, September 21, 2026

The File

Every claim traces to a primary source. Uncertainty is labeled. Corrections are public.

Visas · Monday, September 21, 2026

H-1B $100,000 entry payment window opens today

The File desk · Sep. 21, 2026, 6:15 a.m. ET

Confirmed2 primary sources

Status

Confirmed (White House proclamation, Sept. 18, 2026; effective Sept. 21, 2026)
The White House proclamation that extends the September 2025 took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. For the next 12 months — through Sept. 21, 2027, unless extended again — entry of certain H-1B specialty-occupation workers from outside the United States is restricted unless the petition is accompanied or supplemented by a $100,000 payment. The Homeland Security secretary can grant limited national-interest exceptions. The proclamation says the prior fee has been paid on more than 700 petitions and that large information-technology staffing firms cut combined H-1B registrations from 24,946 to 2,055 — a 92 percent drop. A companion Sept. 18 integrity executive order, , that steers agencies to weigh employer layoffs of similar U.S. workers remains in force.
The White House proclamation that extends the September 2025 took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026.
For the next 12 months — through Sept. 21, 2027, unless extended again — entry of certain H-1B specialty-occupation workers from outside the United States is restricted unless the petition is accompanied or supplemented by a $100,000 payment.
The Homeland Security secretary can grant limited national-interest exceptions.
The proclamation says the prior fee has been paid on more than 700 petitions.
It also says large information-technology staffing firms cut combined H-1B registrations from 24,946 to 2,055 — a 92 percent drop.
A companion Sept. 18 order, , remains in force.
That order steers the State, Labor, and Homeland Security departments to check H-1B filings more tightly with other agencies and to factor employer layoffs of similar U.S. workers into petition and visa decisions.
How we know

What is still unknown or disputed

  • Federal Register publication number; first concrete exception grants under the national-interest clause after today’s effective date.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    RESTRICTION ON ENTRY OF CERTAIN NONIMMIGRANT WORKERS

    The White House · September 18, 2026

    This restriction shall expire, absent extension, 12 months after the effective date of this proclamation, which shall be 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2026.

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers/

  2. Source 2

    ENHANCING PROGRAM INTEGRITY AND INTERAGENCY COORDINATION IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE H-1B NONIMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM

    The White House · September 18, 2026

    the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take into account… whether the employer sponsor directly or indirectly engaged in layoffs within the previous year…

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/enhancing-program-integrity-and-integrity-and-interagency-coordination-in-the-administration-of-the-h-1b-nonimmigrant-visa-program/