H-1B fee dispute remains important for international students approaching graduation

A continuing legal dispute over a proposed $100,000 fee for certain new H-1B petitions is drawing attention from international students and graduates who hope to move from F-1 status into employment in the United States.

The Trump administration extended the measure for another year on September 18. Reuters reported that the fee does not apply to visas granted to foreign citizens already in the United States on student visas and that current H-1B renewals are also outside the measure.

However, the policy remains subject to legal challenges. A Boston appeals court is reviewing litigation concerning the fee.

The H-1B programme is one route through which U.S. employers sponsor highly skilled foreign graduates and other workers. Students approaching graduation should therefore distinguish between the current rules governing F-1 employment, including OPT, and the separate H-1B process.

Source: Reuters, September 18, 2026.