Washington: A United States federal judge has rejected a legal challenge by business groups against the Trump administration’s decision to impose a 100000 dollar fee on new H 1B visa applications, delivering a setback to companies that depend on skilled foreign workers.
The ruling was delivered by US District Judge Beryl Howell, who said the court would not question the policy choice made by the administration. She ruled that the president has broad authority under immigration law to regulate employment based visas and set conditions for their approval.
The case was filed by the US Chamber of Commerce and other business groups. They argued that the steep fee is unlawful and would harm American companies by sharply increasing the cost of hiring foreign professionals, particularly affecting small and medium sized firms.
The Trump administration defended the move, saying the higher fee is aimed at protecting American workers and ensuring that companies hire foreign talent only when they are willing to offer high wages. President Donald J. Trump has repeatedly said the H 1B system should focus on highly paid and highly skilled workers rather than low cost labour.
The H 1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals in areas such as technology, engineering and healthcare. Each year, 65000 regular visas and an additional 20000 visas for applicants with advanced US degrees are issued. The new fee applies to fresh applications and marks a sharp rise from earlier costs.
Although business groups lost this case, the issue may not be fully settled. Other legal challenges filed by state governments and advocacy groups are still pending, and appeals are possible.
The ruling comes as the administration also moves ahead with wider reforms to the H 1B system, including plans to move away from the lottery based selection process and give priority to higher wages and specialised skills. For employers and foreign workers alike, the decision signals a tougher approach to employment based immigration in the United States.