H1B visa fee increases to $100k, threatening U.S. healthcare system

The recent increase in the H1B visa fee to $100,000 is raising concerns about its impact on the U.S. healthcare system. Approximately 30% of medical residents in the United States are international medical graduates, and around 10,000 of the 43,000 residency spots are filled by doctors holding H1B visas. Previously, the H1B visa fee was less than $5,000.

Healthcare facilities are unlikely to pay the new $100,000 fee for residents who earn a salary of $55,000. In 2016, there were 10,500 physicians in the U.S. holding H1B visas, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). In the 2025 Match, 9,761 international medical graduates secured first-year residency positions in the U.S., as reported by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

The substantial increase in visa fees could significantly affect the availability of medical professionals in the U.S. healthcare system, potentially leading to a shortage of residents in training.

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