The government of US President Donald Trump has to backtrack on its stricter visa rules after a court ruling.
Jun 9, 2026, 2:58 amJun 9, 2026, 2:58 am
A court in the US state of Massachusetts lifted the obligation to pay an application fee of 100,000 US dollars (almost 80,000 francs) for the so-called H-1B visa. With this work visa, US companies can bring highly qualified employees such as programmers into the country for several years. Before the Trump administration raised the fee to $100,000, several thousand dollars were due.
Once again, the US President is rebuffed by a court.Image: keystone
The court is of the opinion that the Trump administration has intervened in an area that is actually reserved for Congress. The verdict is not yet final. An appeal can still be lodged, which is what the government plans to do, according to US media reports.
The Trump administration introduced the $100,000 fee in the fall of 2025. She argued that in the past, such visa applications have been targeted to replace American workers with lower-paid ones from abroad. Several states complained against the increase and feared a shortage of staff, for example in the medical sector. (sda/dpa)