On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, which contained provisions increasing the H-1B and L-1 filing fees for  employers who rely heavily on the H-1B and L-1 visa programs.

The law imposes a supplemental filing fee of $4,500 per L-1 petition, and $4,000 per H-1B petition, for employers that employ more than 50 employees when at least 50% of those employees hold H-1B or L-1 status.  These supplemental fees are imposed in addition to the normal $325 filing fee, $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, and $1,500/$750 ACWIA training fee.

These supplemental fees replace a similar, expired supplemental fee scheme that imposed fees of $2,250 per L-1 petition and $2,000 per H-1B petition on employers relying heavily on these visa programs.

Foster will continue to monitor changes in the H-1B and L-1 nonimmigrant visa programs and will make additional information available in future Immigration Updates^© and on our firm’s website at www.fosterglobal.com.