Filipinos Safe from Trump’s $100,000 Visa Hike but Only If They Don’t Exit the US

Breathe easy if you’re a Filipino already in the US on an H-1B visa. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) just confirmed that Trump’s new $100,000 fee won’t touch you… at least not yet.

Here’s the scoop: over the weekend, US President Donald Trump signed a rule slapping an annual $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications. That’s the same visa programme that lets highly skilled workers stay in the US for three years.

Sounds scary, right? But the DFA said Filipinos already inside the US are safe. Only 1.3% of all H-1B visa holders are Filipinos anyway. The bigger bulk are from India and China.

Still, the DFA is not sugar-coating things. They dropped a clear warning:

Do not leave the US if you’re on an H-1B visa, at least for now!

Also read: Trump Wants Companies to Pay $100,000 a Year for H-1B Visas: What It Means for OFWs

If you really need to fly out, talk to your employer first. They might have to pay the extra $100,000 to get you back in.

The DFA said our Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Consulates General across the US are watching closely and will help kababayans if needed.

For context, the H-1B system works like this: the US gives out 85,000 slots every year. Applicants pay a small fee just to enter the lottery. If chosen, they pay another fee to process the visa. With Trump’s new rule, that lottery win suddenly comes with a six-digit price tag.

Image credit: Canva Pro

Also read: PH Travellers Safe from New US Visa Bond Rule

Even if we’re not the biggest group in the programme, many Filipinos dream of landing H-1B jobs in tech and other industries. With this massive fee hike, employers might think twice before hiring foreign workers. So while current visa holders are safe, future applicants could face tougher times.

For now, if you’re a Filipino already working in the US under H-1B, the safest move is to stay put until rules on re-entry are crystal clear.

Featured image credit: Canva Pro