Amazon has advised employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to avoid travelling outside the United States following President Donald Trump’s latest immigration proclamation, Reuters reported.
In an internal memo seen by the news agency, Amazon told staff,“If you have H-1B status and are in the US, stay in the country for now.” The company added that it “recommends H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the US before 12:00 am EDT, 21 September.”
According to Reuters, Microsoft has circulated a similar advisory. The company urged employees holding H-1B and H-4 visas to come back before the deadline, stating, “We strongly recommend H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the US tomorrow before the deadline.”
JPMorgan, Reuters added, passed on guidance from its external immigration counsel, advising H-1B visa holders to stay within the United States and suspend international travel until further notice.
The corporate alerts came after Trump signed a proclamation on Friday imposing a $100,000 annual fee on companies sponsoring H-1B visa applicants. The measure will take effect on 21 September and remain in place for 12 months, though it may be extended, according to the White House.
Trump argued the change would ensure American workers are not disadvantaged. “Some employers have used the H-1B programme to suppress wages, putting American workers at a disadvantage,” the president said in the order.
Reuters noted that since assuming office in January, Trump has pursued a wide-ranging immigration crackdown targeting both illegal migration and sections of legal immigration. Reforming the H-1B programme has become central to this agenda.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the policy stating,“If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land. Train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs.” Lutnick added that the $100,000 fee would apply across the visa’s three-year term, amounting to $300,000 in total, though he admitted that the “specifics were still being considered.”
Government data shows that India was the biggest beneficiary of the H-1B programme last year, with 71 per cent of approvals, while China accounted for 11.7 per cent. At present, applicants pay only a modest fee to enter the H-1B lottery. Additional costs during the visa period usually total just a few thousand dollars.
