President Trump's new $100,000 visa fee for a certain highly skilled workers is sparking concern in Maine, as some employers and business groups who worry it will become harder to fill specialized roles.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to recruit skilled workers from across the globe. The $100,000 fee will apply to new applications.
In Maine, H-1B workers are concentrated in research, healthcare, and higher education, according to Patrick Woodcock, president of the state Chamber of Commerce.
He said it won't be easy to fill those positions with domestic workers.
"I am concerned that this could, at least in the short term, have some reductions in employment," he said. "Our smaller businesses, really the ones that are utilizing it in Maine, really do not have the ability to justify that expense."
Woodcock said he hopes the new rule could be softened to allow exemptions for small businesses and research institutions.
Jackson Labs is the largest H-1B employer in the state with 28 workers, according to an online database. In a written statement, a spokesperson for the company said the new fee could create significant barriers to recruiting top talent, and "slow the pace of biomedical innovation and discovery at a time when it is needed most."
