The University is urging faculty and staff with H-1B status to temporarily avoid international travel amid new restrictions on the program by President Donald Trump and an increased $100,000 fee for employers to hire H-1B visa candidates. The new program rules went into effect for all new petitions after Sept. 21.

The H-1B visa program allows American companies to hire foreign professionals in a high-specialty, nonimmigrant capacity and is used extensively by research institutions and universities to acquire skilled workers. Previously, sponsoring employees on H-1B visas cost employers between $2,000 and $5,000, according to Reuters.  

For the 2025 fiscal year, the University was approved for 108 H-1B visas, according to the H-1B Employer Data Hub. In an advisory issued on Sept. 20 — before the proclamation took effect — the University said it was monitoring further statements and releases from the United States Citizen and Immigration Services to provide further guidance. 

“Out of an abundance of caution, all faculty and staff in H-1B status currently in the U.S. should put international travel plans on hold until they receive further guidance,” the statement read. “If possible, any faculty and staff in H-1B status who are currently outside the U.S. are strongly recommended to return to the U.S. before the proclamation takes effect.”

Trump’s proclamation cites an alleged “systemic abuse of the program,” a “disadvantageous” labor market for American citizens and dwindling job openings in lower-skill fields as reasons for the increased fee. 

Aisling Kelliher, an associate professor of cinematic arts, came to the U.S. on an H-1B visa for doctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, and six years later, she reapplied to the H-1B program before receiving her green card. 

“One of the primary reasons why people come here as well is because of the international reputation of the American education system,” Kelliher said. “It’s a huge opportunity, both to come here as an immigrant and to receive an education, and then also to be able to continue as a researcher and as a teacher within the system that you’ve learned from.”

Yi-Chieh Chiu, a second-year graduate student studying computer science, is an international student from Taiwan. Chiu said he was unsure whether the new policy could make it harder to work in the U.S. and hadn’t decided whether to continue his career in the U.S. or Hong Kong.

“I’m not sure of the impact; I actually have seen news about this,” Chiu said. “Some people say that it’s actually good for us, because [F-1 visa students] have OPT [when] we’re in the U.S.A., so maybe this is a better chance for us. But some say that this is not good for us to work in the U.S.A. in the future, so I’m not sure which one is true.”

F-1 visas are nonimmigrant visas allowing foreign students to remain in the U.S. for the length of their study. Optional Practical Training, or OPT, is a program allowing F-1 student visa holders to work in a field related to their area of study for up to 12 months, either prior to or after completing their degree. At present, students who changed their visa status from F-1 to H-1B before Sept. 21, 2025, will not be impacted by the new fees.

Kelliher said she was concerned about the new policy resulting in widespread confusion among the public and anxiety for prospective H-1B recipients. She said that education is not a “short-term endeavor,” and that the current confusion surrounding H-1B visas can have lasting consequences on the quality of recipients in the future. 

“If you’re going to invest the time in uprooting yourself and moving to another country, perhaps it is going to be more attractive to [move] to … other countries that’re going to make it a little bit more attractive for people to consider that, long-term, they may be able to put down roots.”