H‑1B $100K Fee Spurs Healthcare Staffing Fears | CNN2.0

💼 President Trump’s surprise plan to raise H‑1B application fees to $100,000 triggered confusion among employers and foreign workers until the White House clarified it applies only to new applications, aimed at curbing program abuse
🩺 Recruiters warn the policy could worsen physician shortages, especially in rural and vulnerable communities where international medical graduates often fill residency slots and help sustain care post‑training
📉 Pipeline risk: While ~94% of U.S. graduates match into residencies, many remaining positions rely on foreign doctors; higher upfront costs and uncertainty may deter candidates and strain hospital staffing
🧭 Proposed nuance: Industry voices suggest carve‑outs for residency/health‑care roles in shortage areas and for small startups in tech (e.g., headcount ≤20) to balance anti‑abuse goals with critical labor needs
📍 On‑the‑ground examples: Recruiters cite West Virginia and Mississippi (e.g., Aberdeen) and SoCal exurbs like Riverside County where general surgeons and specialists are already hard to find
🔎 What to watch: Final rule scope, fee timing, exemptions for health‑care shortage areas, and any parallel changes to J‑1/H‑1B pathways affecting retention after residency #H1B #Immigration #HealthcareStaffing #PhysicianShortage #Residency #IMG #Trump #Workforce #Hospitals #CNN2Point0