Walmart, the retail behemoth, has slammed the brakes on hiring foreign workers under the H-1B visa program after the Trump administration rolled out a staggering $100,000 application fee.
As reported by Fox Business, Walmart, the largest user of H-1B visas among major retailers, with roughly 2,390 holders, has paused job offers to candidates needing these permits due to the prohibitive cost introduced by President Trump’s recent proclamation.
This decision, primarily impacting corporate roles as per sources speaking to Bloomberg, reflects a sharp pivot for a company long reliant on global talent. It’s a telling sign of how policy shifts can ripple through even the biggest players in the market.
Last month, President Trump issued a proclamation restricting H-1B visas by imposing the hefty $100,000 fee starting Sept. 21. This move has not only altered Walmart’s hiring playbook but also sparked legal pushback from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which claims the fee unlawfully sidesteps existing immigration law.
The Chamber argues that the fee disregards provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, particularly the rule that fees should mirror actual government processing costs. It’s a clash between executive action and legislative intent, with corporate giants caught in the crossfire.
For Walmart, the math is simple: a fee this steep makes hiring H-1B workers a non-starter. The retailer’s silence on the matter, despite outreach from Fox News Digital, speaks volumes about the internal recalculations underway.
The H-1B visa program was designed to let employers tap foreign talent for specialty roles requiring advanced degrees or unique skills. By law, companies must ensure these workers earn wages comparable to their American counterparts, a safeguard meant to protect domestic labor.
Yet, critics argue the program often serves as a loophole for corporations chasing lower costs rather than scarce expertise. Azoria CEO James Fishback, speaking on ‘Varney & Co.’ Wednesday, put it bluntly: ‘When we have qualified Americans looking for jobs, and they're being passed over because a Fortune 500 company wants to get cheap labor from India and exploit that labor, that is not OK.’
Fishback’s point cuts to the heart of a broader frustration. If the talent isn’t truly irreplaceable, why prioritize foreign hires over Americans struggling in a tough job market with youth unemployment double the national average?
Fishback also suggested a radical rethink, proposing to ‘let the market decide’ by setting a high bar or even scrapping the H-1B program altogether. He argued, ‘If you're saying you can't afford $100,000 a year to pay some skilled worker, then they're not all that skilled at the end of the day.’
His stance aligns with a growing chorus calling for policies that put American workers first. The idea of reserving exceptions for truly exceptional talent, like top AI scientists under the O-1 visa program, offers a compelling alternative to blanket reliance on H-1B hires.
This fee isn’t just a number; it’s a signal to rethink who gets a seat at the table. Walmart’s hiring freeze might be the first domino, but it won’t be the last as companies weigh profit against principle.
The tension here isn’t just about Walmart or even the H-1B program; it’s about the social contract Fishback referenced when he said ‘Made in America has to be taken a step further: made in America by Americans.’ Policies like this fee force a reckoning on whether corporate needs should trump national loyalty.
While innovation and global competition matter, so does the dignity of American workers waiting for their shot. Trump’s proclamation, flawed or not, has ignited a debate that’s overdue, even if it leaves companies like Walmart scrambling.
Walmart’s pause on H-1B hiring is a microcosm of a larger struggle to define who builds America’s future. As legal battles unfold and public opinion sharpens, the balance between welcoming talent and safeguarding opportunity remains a tightrope worth walking with care.
