The South Korean foreign ministry has made a statement on Saturday that it will consider the impacts of recent changes in the policy of the U.S. H-1B visa on companies and professionals with skills in South Korea intending to work in the United States. The officials also said that they will have talks with the U.S. authorities to raise concerns in case of need.
The announcement is the result of the Trump administration’s choice to change the H-1B program heavily, imposing an exorbitant cost on employers and casting doubt on international corporations and overseas employees.
Details of the New H-1B Visa Policy
President Donald Trump made a Proclamation limiting the entry of non-immigrant workers on September 19, 2025. The biggest modification is that there will be a one-time payment of 100,000 dollars to the employer who will be submitting new H-1B petitions.
The rule will be applied by the U.S. agencies Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of State to the petitions that are submitted on or after 12:01 a.m. ET, September 21, 2025.
Who Is Affected
New petitions about H-1B will have to include the 100,000 fee, which will be very expensive since its implementation will occur after the effective date. Nevertheless, the rule has some significant exceptions since it does not cover petitions submitted before September 21, 2025, already approved petitions, or persons who are already in possession of an active H-1B visa. To the already present in the U.S., extensions, modifications, and changes in the employer seem to be spared from the new requirement. With that said, the issue of travel concerns is still present, as employees who move out of the U.S. might still have to pay it in case they decide to receive a new visa stamp that will be associated with petitions submitted after the effective date.
Business and Worker Implications
The policy will create a huge financial burden on firms that depend on skilled foreign talent, particularly those in the technology and engineering segments. Although the changes do not affect the current holders of H-1B, they have the potential to restrict the opportunities in the future and lead to higher costs for South Korean firms with operations in the U.S.
