US President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order that will add a $100,000 (£74,000) fee for applicants to the H-1B visa programme aimed at bringing in skilled workers from abroad into certain industries.

The proclamation will reportedly mention “abuse” of the programme and will restrict entry unless payment is made.

Critics of the programme have long argued that H-1Bs undercut the American workforce, while proponents – including billionaire Elon Musk – argue it allows the US to attract top talent from around the world.

A separate order is expected to order a review of minimum wage requirements for those under the scheme.

Since 2004, the number of H-1B applications has been capped at 85,000 per year.

While H-1B fees are subject to change and depend on the size of the employer, they currently include a $215 registration fee and another $780 fee for filing a form known as a I-129, required for larger employers.

There is also a $500 fraud prevention and detection fee. Companies often spend tens of thousands of dollars each year for the visas.

Data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, shows that applications for H-1B visas for the 2026 fiscal year that begins on 1 October fell to about 359,000 – a four-year low.

The greatest beneficiary of the programme the previous fiscal year was Amazon, followed by tech giants Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google, according to government statistics.

The BBC has contacted these companies for comment.

The debate over H-1B visas had previously caused splits within Trump’s team and supporters, pitting those in favour against critics such as former strategist Steve Bannon.

Trump told reporters at the White House in January that he understands “both sides of the argument” on H-1Bs, and since returning to office has on occasion expressed support for the “great” programme, while at the same time mulling further restrictions to it.

The year before – while seeking to attract support from the tech industry while on the campaign trail – Trump vowed to make the process of attracting talent easier, going as far as to propose green cards for college graduates.

“You need a pool of people to work for companies,” he told the All-In Podcast. “You have to be able to recruit these people and keep these people.”