Amazon, Google, Microsoft warn H-1B employees to stay in the US

In Brief

Large tech companies have responded to President Donald Trump’s dramatic changes to H-1B visa applications by telling employees with those visas to remain in the United States, according to multiple media reports.

The White House announced Friday that Trump had signed a proclamation requiring employers to pay a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications. In response, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft reportedly emailed their employees telling those with H-1B visas to remain in the United States for now — and if they’re traveling internationally, to try to return before the proclamation takes effect at 12:01am Eastern on Sunday.

Business Insider published the memos from Amazon and Microsoft, while Sources published a similar memo from Google. TechCrunch has reached out to Amazon, Microsoft, and Google for comment.

According to government data, Amazon employees have received the most H-1B visas so far this fiscal year, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, then Microsoft, Meta, and Apple, with Google ranked sixth.

Meanwhile, a White House official told Axios that the fee will only apply to new applicants, not existing H-1B holders or renewals.

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