The cost of filing an H1B petition depends on the size of the employer and how quickly you need a final decision.
- Base Fee: All petitions start with a base fee of $460.
- Fraud Prevention Fee: All new petitions and petitions to switch employers (but not petitions to extend status with the same employer) must include a "fraud prevention" fee of $500.
- ACWIA Fee: Introduced in the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act ("ACWIA"), this fee funds training to develop the skills of US workers. The ACWIA fee is $750 if the employer has 25 or fewer full-time employees, and $1,500 if the employer has more than 25 full-time employees. It must be paid for all new petitions, petitions to change employers, and for petitions to extend status with the same employer for the first time. Subsequent petitions to extend status with the same employer are exempt from the ACWIA fee.
- OPTIONAL Premium Processing Fee: The premium processing fee of $2,500 is optional. If paid, it guarantees that your petition is acted on within 15 calendar days. Without premium processing, H1B petitions can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months to be adjudicated. (More on premium processing here.)
- Attorney Fee: Attorney fees for preparing the H1B petition are separate from the government fees outlined above. Our current fee schedule is always kept up-to-date here.
By law, the employer is usually responsible for paying most or all of the fees described above. Employers who pass along these costs to employees may be subject to fines or sanctions preventing them from being able to sponsor H1B employees for a number of years.
If you would like to discuss the process of applying for an H1B visa, feel free to schedule a consultation or contact us with any questions you have.