Roundup: Employer resources on H-1B reforms 

On Sept. 19, President Trump signed a proclamation to restrict the entry into the US of H-1B alien workers in specialty occupations, requiring a $100,000 payment to accompany or supplement H-1B visa petitions for new applications. Other planned H1-B changes were also included in the proclamation. Guidance in response to the proclamation has been issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). However, implementation of the proclamation has caused confusion among employers and H-1B holders. On Sept. 20, 2025, the Chamber of Commerce released the following statement: “We’re concerned about the impact on employees, their families, and American employers. We’re working with the Administration and our members to understand the full implications and the best path forward.”

To provide employers with some information about the new H-1B visa requirements and the varying aspects and issues to consider, this roundup provides links to government information, third-party analyses, news articles and viewpoints. The aggregated content in each section is organized in reverse chronological order and is by no means comprehensive. The content also does not necessarily reflect Mercer’s or the authors’ point of view on the subject.

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