Us Government Slaps New Fee On H-1b Visas – How This Will Hit Oregon’s Economy Hard

Published on September 23, 2025

In caller years, Nike, nan world sportswear giant, has been astatine nan forefront of H-1B visa applications in Oregon. This year, however, a important alteration to the H-1B visa fee could airs a awesome situation for Nike and different companies successful nan region that trust connected skilled overseas workers. The Trump administration’s determination to summation the H-1B visa exertion fee to $100,000 could effect really companies like Nike operate, particularly considering their dense reliance connected this visa programme to capable cardinal positions wrong their workforce.

The Rise of nan H-1B Visa Program

The H-1B visa has agelong been a pathway for highly skilled workers, peculiarly successful nan fields of technology, medicine, and engineering, to participate nan United States. These visas are designed to pull overseas talent to meet nan request for specialized labor that cannot beryllium filled by American workers. Each year, the U.S. government approves 85,000 H-1B visas for companies that request to prosecute skilled professionals successful sectors wherever location is a shortage of qualified labor.

Historically, Nike has been 1 of nan largest recipients of these visas in Oregon, pinch nan institution employing a important number of H-1B visa holders successful cardinal roles. Over nan past decade, Nike has consistently been nan apical beneficiary of the H-1B visa program in Oregon, according to authorities data. In fact, for nan twelvemonth 2024, nearly 250 of nan H-1B visas granted to companies in Oregon went to Nike employees, pinch nan institution continuing to unafraid a awesome information of nan disposable visas.

The New $100,000 H-1B Fee: Impact connected Nike and Other Employers

On September 23, 2025, the Trump administration announced a crisp summation successful the H-1B visa exertion fee, raising it from a fewer 1000 dollars to a staggering $100,000 per application. This caller fee, which only applies to new H-1B visa applicants, is expected to beryllium a important load connected companies like Nike, which trust heavy connected nan programme to capable skilled positions. The accrued interest is portion of a broader effort to overhaul nan visa strategy and reside perceived abuses of nan program.

The changes were introduced pursuing claims by nan Trump management that the H-1B program had been misused. In a proclamation detailing nan interest increase, President Trump stated that nan programme had been exploited to switch American workers pinch lower-paid overseas workers, peculiarly successful nan exertion sector. The administration’s stance has drawn disapproval from galore business leaders and economists who reason that the H-1B visa program has contributed positively to nan U.S. system by attracting skilled workers who thief thrust invention and economical growth.

Nike’s Role successful Oregon’s H-1B Visa Landscape

In Oregon, Nike has been a cardinal subordinate successful the H-1B visa program, pinch nan institution consistently securing a ample information of nan state’s yearly allocation. In 2024, nearly 250 H-1B visa holders were employed by Nike, making it 1 of nan starring companies successful nan authorities for visa applicants. Nike’s reliance connected the H-1B visa program to capable important roles has raised concerns astir nan effect of nan new $100,000 fee on its operations.

Despite this, Nike has yet to officially remark connected the fee increase. However, it has been acknowledged that the high feecould deter nan institution from hiring overseas workers aliases could consequence in increased costs for Nike as it strives to support a highly skilled workforce. In consequence to nan changes, Nike has been intimately monitoring nan situation, moving to measure really this caller financial load mightiness impact its recruitment efforts and wide business operations in Oregon.

The Broader Impact connected Oregon’s Economy

The H-1B visa program has had a significant impact on Oregon’s economy, with Nike leading nan complaint successful employing skilled overseas workers. Nike’s investments successful exertion and invention person been fueled, successful part, by its expertise to prosecute specialized workers from astir nan world. The summation successful the H-1B visa fee could make it much difficult for Nike and different businesses in Oregon to support their competitory separator successful a world economy.

Currently, Oregon is 1 of nan states pinch a precocious attraction of H-1B visa recipients, peculiarly successful sectors like technology, engineering, and sports apparel. A simplification successful nan readiness of skilled overseas workers could hamper maturation and innovation, perchance slowing nan description of industries reliant connected specialized expertise.

The Debate connected nan H-1B Visa Program: Economic Benefits vs. Cost

Economic investigation complete nan past decade has mostly shown that the H-1B visa program has had a affirmative effect connected nan U.S. economy. Studies bespeak that skilled overseas workers contribute to entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth. Many of nan largest exertion companies successful nan U.S., including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, employment tens of thousands of H-1B visa workers, and these companies proceed to push for much entree to nan program.

However, the Trump administration has been vocal astir what it perceives arsenic abuses of nan system. It has pointed to instances wherever ample tech companies, specified arsenic 1 unnamed IT firm, were approved for thousands of H-1B visas even arsenic they laid disconnected thousands of American workers. This business has led to calls for reform, including the $100,000 feeincrease, which intends to make it much costly for companies to trust on foreign workers when home alternatives are available.

The Future of nan H-1B Visa Program and Oregon’s Economy

The H-1B visa program is apt to acquisition further changes successful nan coming years as immigration policies continue to shift. While nan new $100,000 fee may discourage immoderate companies from pursuing nan program, it is unclear whether it will lead to nan important simplification in foreign workers that the Trump administration anticipates.

For Nike, nan early of the H-1B visa program could mean increased costs and a more competitory hiring environment as nan institution useful to support its workforce. The increasing hostility between economic benefits and costs will apt proceed to style nan statement complete nan program, pinch businesses advocating for much entree to skilled workers and others pushing for much stringent restrictions.

In Oregon, where Nike has been a awesome subordinate successful the H-1B visa program, nan effect of these changes could beryllium felt crossed various sectors. As nan state’s largest employer of H-1B workers, Nike’s expertise to prosecute skilled professionals from overseas has been integral to its success. The caller visa fees whitethorn alteration nan dynamics of hiring successful nan state, pinch imaginable implications for both Oregon’s economy and Nike’s world competitiveness.

Conclusion: A Shift successful nan Landscape of Immigration and Business

The caller summation successful the H-1B visa exertion fee marks a important displacement in U.S. migration policy. The policy’s effect connected companies like Nike, which person agelong relied connected skilled overseas workers, will apt beryllium profound. While the $100,000 fee may deter immoderate businesses from seeking overseas labor, others whitethorn find ways to accommodate to nan caller costs structures.

The early of Oregon’s economy and businesses like Nike will dangle connected really efficaciously they tin navigate nan challenges posed by nan caller visa rules, balancing nan request for skilled overseas workers with nan changing cost structuresand regulatory environment.