A new federal proposal to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas could make it harder for health systems to recruit and retain international IT talent, health system CIOs told Becker’s.
The fee, announced Sept. 19 by President Donald Trump, is intended to curb “systemic abuse” of the H-1B visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire temporary foreign workers in specialty occupations. But healthcare leaders warn it could exacerbate staffing shortages and drive up costs for hospitals and research institutions that rely on specialized international employees.
“The proposed $100,000 H-1B fee will pose a challenge in healthcare IT and research,” Zafar Chaudry, MD, chief digital officer at Seattle Children’s Hospital, told Becker’s. “We rely on a global talent pool to fill highly specialized technology roles, from cybersecurity experts to data analysts and researchers. A fee of this magnitude would make every hire a difficult financial decision, putting us at a serious disadvantage against other industries.”
Dr. Chaudry added that the policy could prompt a shift to offshore talent and spur skilled international professionals to seek opportunities in countries with more stable policies, a “brain drain” that could hinder innovation.
Darrell Bodnar, CIO of Whitefield, N.H.-based North Country Healthcare, said the fee would not affect current international staff but would make recruiting new IT talent prohibitively expensive.
“At a time when healthcare already faces severe staffing shortages, this would shrink the pool even further, affecting everyone’s ability to care for patients and build a future workforce,” he told Becker’s.
Mr. Bodnar suggested that disciplines facing critical shortages, such as healthcare, should be exempt from the fee.
The H-1B visa program is a key pathway for hospitals to sponsor foreign-born professionals, including physicians, nurses, and specialized IT staff. Immigrants account for roughly 27% of U.S. physicians and surgeons, 16% of registered nurses, and 22% of nursing assistants. Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are among the largest sponsors of H-1B visas, which can cost health systems millions under the new proposal.
The fee applies only to new H-1B visas issued after Sept. 21 and does not affect renewals or previously granted visas. Health policy experts have expressed concern that the proposal could worsen shortages in rural and underserved communities, where access to healthcare workers is already limited.
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