Your Company Won't Pay $100K for Your H1B – Now What? Discover Plan B with Y-Axis
- Trump proposes a $100,000 fee for certain H-1B and Green Card applicants abroad.
- Not everyone is affected — see the breakdown below.
- New wage-based lottery system gives higher salaries better chances.
- IT & Engineering professionals face tougher competition.
- Students in the U.S. must start thinking about a Plan B.
Who’s Affected?
|
Situation |
$100k Fee? |
Status |
|
H-1B worker inside U.S. |
❌ |
Not affected |
|
H-1B transfer inside U.S. |
❌ |
Not affected |
|
H-1B extension inside U.S. |
❌ |
Not affected |
|
Travel abroad, H-1B stamp still valid |
❌ |
Not affected |
|
Travel abroad, H-1B expired → new petition |
✅ |
Affected |
|
Currently abroad filing fresh H-1B |
✅ |
Affected |
|
OPT → H-1B (change of status inside U.S.) |
❌ |
Not affected |
|
OPT → H-1B with stamping abroad |
✅ |
Affected |
|
Green card I-485 inside U.S. |
❌ |
Not affected |
|
Green card consular processing abroad |
✅ |
Affected |
Wage-Based Lottery Explained
If H-1B applications exceed the 85,000 cap, USCIS will prioritize higher wages:
- Level 4 (highest wage): 4 lottery entries
- Level 3: 3 entries
- Level 2: 2 entries
- Level 1 (lowest wage): 1 entry
The higher your salary, the better your chances.
But what if your salary isn’t at the top levels? Here’s your Plan B — global career options for IT & Engineering professionals.
🌍 Plan B Options for IT & Engineering Professionals
If the U.S. dream is getting tougher, you can still build a great career abroad:
- Canada PR (Express Entry & PNPs)
- Huge demand for software engineers, developers, AI/ML specialists, and engineers.
- Direct PR pathway, NO employer sponsorship required.
- Australia Skilled Migration (Subclass 189/190/491)
- Points-based system favors young IT and huge demand for civil engineering professionals.
- PR with job flexibility and excellent lifestyle.
- UK Skilled Worker Visa
- Shortage Occupation List includes programmers, developers, and engineers.
- Employer sponsorship plus a path to settlement.
- Germany & EU Work Opportunities
- EU Blue Card and Opportunity Card open doors for skilled IT and engineering talent.
- Europe is actively seeking IT, Engineering and STEM professionals.
- Middle East & UAE
- Strong demand in IT, AI, and engineering projects.
- Tax-free salaries and faster visa processing.
🎓 Students in the U.S. What’s Your Plan B?
Relying only on H-1B could be risky. If stamping or fees make it harder, here are smarter routes:
- Canada Work Visa after graduation to PR Pathway
- Australia Graduate Work Visa to PR pathway
- UK Graduate Route to Skilled Worker Visa
- Germany & Europe study-to-work pathways
Don’t let your U.S. study dream end with uncertainty. Have a backup ready.
Your Future Doesn’t End with H-1B — Y-Axis Makes It Global
At Y-Axis, we help you stay ahead of immigration changes:
- For Professionals: PR & work visas in Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, and UAE.
- For Students: Study-to-PR guidance & global career planning.
- For Families: Permanent residency and settlement solutions worldwide.
Don’t let U.S. immigration rules decide your future. Talk to Y-Axis today and unlock your global career options.