Turkey Joins Austria, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium And Other European Countries To Face Travel Visa Challenges As Us Imposes New One Hundred Thousand Dollar Fee: Everything You need to know

Published on September 27, 2025

As nan U.S. introduces a arguable $100,000 interest for caller H-1B visa applicants, countries for illustration Turkey, Austria, Portugal, nan Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and different European nations now find themselves facing caller challenges successful securing recreation and activity opportunities for their skilled professionals. The fee, which intends to limit nan number of overseas workers entering nan U.S., could person important implications for skilled workers from these countries, particularly those successful high-demand industries for illustration technology, engineering, and finance. While countries specified arsenic Turkey person a increasing beingness of professionals successful fields for illustration package improvement and information analytics, nan caller interest could severely limit nan number of workers capable to return advantage of nan H-1B program.

For European nations for illustration Austria, Portugal, nan Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium, whose workers person historically filled cardinal roles successful nan U.S. labour market, nan added financial load whitethorn consequence successful less opportunities for their nationals. Smaller U.S. companies, which often sponsor overseas workers, whitethorn struggle to sorb nan caller costs, perchance starring to occupation reductions, costs cuts, aliases less occupation openings for talented overseas professionals. This could stifle invention and collaboration successful cardinal industries, making it much difficult for European talent to lend to nan U.S. economy. As these countries now look nan compounded challenges of an already competitory visa process and a importantly higher exertion fee, nan early travel of skilled professionals from Europe to nan U.S. could beryllium dramatically impacted.

Turkey: Strong H-1B Visa Presence astatine Risk pinch New Fee

In 2024, Turkey received 1,432 H-1B visa approvals, representing 0.4% of nan full applications. Turkish professionals are highly sought aft successful industries specified arsenic technology, engineering, and finance, pinch peculiar expertise successful areas for illustration package development, information analytics, and engineering. Their contributions are basal to U.S. companies, particularly successful fields that thrust technological invention and business growth.

However, nan recently introduced $100,000 interest for H-1B applicants could coming important challenges for Turkish nationals. Smaller U.S. companies, which are often nan superior sponsors for skilled overseas workers, whitethorn find it financially difficult to screen this accrued cost. As a result, occupation opportunities for Turkish professionals could go much limited. For those already moving successful nan U.S., nan interest mightiness lead to costs reductions aliases occupation insecurity, peculiarly successful smaller firms, affecting profession stableness and growth. This interest could yet trim nan travel of Turkish talent to nan U.S., impacting invention and collaboration crossed cardinal sectors.

Austria: Limited H-1B Visa Approvals and nan Challenge of nan New Fee

In 2024, Austria received 116 H-1B visa approvals, representing astir 0% of nan full applications. Although nan number of Austrian professionals entering nan U.S. done nan H-1B visa programme is minimal, they lend valuable skills, peculiarly successful technology, engineering, and finance. Austrian nationals are known for their expertise successful areas specified arsenic package development, mechanical engineering, and financial consulting, making them important assets successful nan U.S. occupation market.

However, pinch nan recently introduced $100,000 visa fee, nan already mini travel of Austrian talent to nan U.S. whitethorn look moreover greater obstacles. Smaller U.S. companies, which are often nan cardinal sponsors for overseas workers, whitethorn find nan added costs prohibitive. This could trim occupation opportunities for Austrian professionals, peculiarly successful startups and smaller firms. For those already moving successful nan U.S., nan interest could lead to costs reductions aliases occupation instability, limiting profession maturation and innovation.

Portugal: Minimal Impact connected U.S. Workforce from H-1B Visas

In 2024, Portugal received 141 H-1B visa approvals, accounting for astir 0% of nan full applications. Although nan number of Portuguese professionals entering nan U.S. nether this visa class is comparatively small, those who do travel bring valuable expertise, peculiarly successful fields for illustration technology, engineering, and research. Portuguese nationals are well-regarded for their skills successful areas specified arsenic package development, information analysis, and renewable power technologies.

However, pinch nan recently introduced $100,000 interest for H-1B applicants, nan already constricted travel of Portuguese talent to nan U.S. whitethorn look moreover greater obstacles. Smaller U.S. companies, which typically sponsor H-1B applicants from countries for illustration Portugal, whitethorn find nan accrued costs burdensome, perchance reducing opportunities for Portuguese workers. The interest could besides limit nan profession maturation and occupation stableness of those already employed successful nan U.S., peculiarly successful smaller firms that whitethorn struggle pinch nan added financial strain.

Netherlands: Modest H-1B Visa Presence and nan Impact of New Fee

In 2024, nan Netherlands received 227 H-1B visa approvals, accounting for 0.1% of nan full applications. While nan number of Dutch professionals obtaining H-1B visas is comparatively small, they lend importantly to sectors specified arsenic technology, engineering, and finance. Dutch nationals are known for their expertise successful package development, information science, and IT infrastructure, making them valuable assets successful nan U.S. occupation market.

The recently introduced $100,000 visa fee, however, could airs challenges for Dutch professionals seeking to activity successful nan U.S. Smaller U.S. companies, often nan superior sponsors of overseas talent, whitethorn find nan further costs burdensome. This could limit nan occupation opportunities for Dutch nationals, particularly successful startups and smaller firms. Furthermore, for those already successful nan U.S., nan accrued interest mightiness lead to costs reductions aliases occupation insecurity, perchance slowing profession maturation and invention wrong their respective fields.

Switzerland: Limited Presence successful U.S. Talent Pool via H-1B Visas

In 2024, Switzerland received only 158 H-1B visa approvals, representing astir 0% of nan full applications. Although nan number of Swiss professionals obtaining H-1B visas is minimal, those who do unafraid positions successful nan U.S. are often highly skilled, pinch expertise successful areas for illustration finance, technology, engineering, and pharmaceuticals. Swiss nationals are recognized for their proficiency successful fields specified arsenic package development, banking, and precocious engineering.

However, nan recently imposed $100,000 interest for H-1B applicants could create further challenges for Swiss professionals seeking to participate nan U.S. occupation market. Given that smaller U.S. companies, which are often sponsors of overseas talent, whitethorn struggle to screen nan accrued costs, opportunities for Swiss nationals whitethorn go moreover much limited. For those already employed successful nan U.S., nan interest could consequence successful net reductions aliases occupation insecurity, further hindering profession advancement successful their respective industries.

Belgium: Minimal H-1B Visa Approvals and nan Impact of nan New Fee

In 2024, Belgium received 178 H-1B visa approvals, accounting for astir 0% of nan full applications. Despite nan mini number of Belgian professionals entering nan U.S. done nan H-1B visa program, they bring valuable expertise, peculiarly successful technology, engineering, and research. Belgian nationals are highly regarded for their skills successful package development, information science, and business engineering.

With nan preamble of nan $100,000 visa fee, nan already constricted number of Belgian professionals seeking U.S. employment could look moreover greater barriers. Smaller U.S. employers, who are often nan main sponsors of overseas talent, whitethorn find it difficult to negociate nan further cost. This could consequence successful less opportunities for Belgian nationals. For those already employed successful nan U.S., nan interest could lead to costs reductions aliases occupation instability, yet hindering profession progression and limiting nan influx of Belgian talent into nan U.S. workforce.

H-1B Visa Approvals by Country: 2024 Breakdown and Key Sectors

United Kingdom: In 2024, nan UK received 1,005 H-1B visa approvals, representing 0.7% of nan total. British nationals are successful demand, particularly successful technology, finance, and engineering sectors, pinch awesome firms for illustration Google and Microsoft actively recruiting.

France: France received 733 H-1B visa approvals successful 2024, making up 0.5% of nan total. French professionals excel successful IT, engineering, and healthcare, bringing valuable expertise successful fields specified arsenic AI, aesculapian research, and cybersecurity.

Spain: Spain was approved for 1,043 H-1B visas successful 2024, accounting for 0.3% of nan full applications. Spanish nationals are important successful technology, engineering, and finance, contributing importantly to U.S. business maturation and innovation.

Germany: In 2024, Germany secured 1,030 H-1B visas, making up 0.3% of nan total. German professionals are highly weighted successful engineering, technology, and finance, peculiarly for their skills successful mechanical engineering, package development, and finance.

Italy: Italy received 989 H-1B visas successful 2024, representing 0.2% of nan full applications. Italian nationals are recruited for their expertise successful package development, architecture, and business design, contributing to cardinal sectors successful nan U.S.

Trump Defends $100,000 H-1B Fee to Prioritize Top Talent

In a arguable move, U.S. President Donald Trump defended nan preamble of a $100,000 interest for caller H-1B visa applications, claiming it would thief pull only nan “top-tier” talent to nan U.S. and promote companies to prioritize hiring American workers. During a statesmanlike proclamation connected September 19, 2025, Trump, on pinch Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, based on that nan interest would reside wide maltreatment of nan H-1B system. The management contended that nan interest would forestall companies from utilizing nan programme to switch U.S. workers pinch lower-paid overseas labor. Initially, nan interest was mistakenly perceived arsenic an yearly complaint for existing visa holders, but nan White House clarified that it would beryllium a one-time complaint for caller applicants, starting pinch nan March 2026 lottery. Alongside this change, nan management projected further reforms, including modifications to nan H-1B lottery strategy and nan preamble of a $1 cardinal “gold card” visa, arsenic portion of its “America First” schedule to limit migration and prioritize U.S. workers.

Positive Impacts of nan $100,000 H-1B Fee: Supporters’ Perspective

• Protecting American Workers: Supporters reason that nan $100,000 interest will safeguard U.S. workers by incentivizing employers to prioritize American talent complete overseas workers who are often paid less. The accrued costs of hiring overseas professionals provides an added inducement for companies to springiness penchant to home candidates successful industries wherever some U.S. and overseas workers are vying for akin roles.
• Targeting Highly Skilled Talent: The management asserts that nan interest is designed to pull only nan astir highly skilled professionals to nan U.S. By raising nan costs of obtaining an H-1B visa, nan interest is viewed arsenic a measurement to select retired little qualified applicants, ensuring nan U.S. benefits from apical world talent.
• Addressing Program Abuse: Another cardinal logic for nan interest is to curb nan misuse of nan H-1B visa program, which immoderate companies person utilized to switch U.S. workers pinch lower-paid overseas employees. Proponents judge nan interest will thief guarantee that nan programme serves its original purpose: bringing skilled workers into roles that cannot beryllium filled by American talent.

Potential Negative Impacts of nan $100,000 H-1B Fee

• Hindered Innovation and Competitiveness: Critics pass that nan $100,000 interest could harm innovation, peculiarly successful nan tech industry, wherever location is precocious request for skilled overseas talent. The accrued costs could make it harder for U.S. companies to enlistee apical world professionals, peculiarly smaller startups that trust heavy connected overseas workers pinch specialized skills. This could inhibit productivity and innovation, yet affecting America’s world competitiveness.
• Job Market Disruption: While nan interest is intended to protect American jobs, immoderate analysts judge it whitethorn accelerate offshoring aliases nearshoring to countries for illustration India and Canada, which person well-established tech industries. This displacement could lead to occupation losses successful nan U.S., undermining nan very nonsubjective of nan fee—to protect home workers.
• Challenges for Small Businesses and Startups: Smaller businesses, which whitethorn not person nan financial resources to sorb nan accrued costs, could look difficulties successful attracting and retaining skilled overseas talent. This could stifle growth, peculiarly successful industries that require specialized skills, limiting invention and slowing down nan description of mini businesses and startups.
• Impact connected Healthcare and Education Sectors: Industries heavy reliant connected overseas professionals, specified arsenic healthcare and education, could look important recruitment challenges owed to nan caller fee. Professionals specified arsenic doctors, nurses, researchers, and educators whitethorn beryllium discouraged by nan added cost, exacerbating talent shortages successful these captious sectors and perchance starring to gaps successful workforce capacity.
• Strain connected India-U.S. Relations: India, a awesome root of H-1B applications, is expected to beryllium importantly affected by nan interest hike. The state has agelong benefitted from nan mobility of its skilled labour to nan U.S., and this caller argumentation could strain negotiated relations betwixt nan 2 countries. As India remains a cardinal contributor to nan U.S. H-1B workforce, nan interest whitethorn impact early practice and bilateral ties.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nan preamble of nan $100,000 interest for H-1B visa applicants by nan U.S. poses important challenges for skilled professionals from Turkey, Austria, Portugal, nan Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and different European nations. This caller financial load is apt to limit occupation opportunities, peculiarly successful smaller U.S. companies that often sponsor overseas talent. As a result, nan travel of highly skilled workers from these countries could slow down, perchance hindering invention and maturation successful cardinal industries. The effect connected world practice and talent mobility underscores nan request for a balanced attack that fosters world collaboration while addressing home labour marketplace concerns.