Employees at major tech and financial companies on H-1B visas were told to stay in the US following President Donald Trump’s surprise executive order that makes it far more expensive — and potentially impossible — for them to return if they travel abroad.
Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Meta are among those companies, per employees and internal communications reviewed by Business Insider.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order requiring companies to pay a $100,000 fee for each H-1B application or renewal. The order, which takes effect on September 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET, effectively bars H-1B workers from reentering the country after that deadline unless their sponsoring employer pays the fee.
Amazon’s internal guidance, posted just before 9 p.m. Pacific on Friday on its HR portal, warned employees: “If you have H-1B status and are in the US: Stay in the country for now, even if you have travel planned for the immediate future.”
The guidance also said: “If you have H-1B or H-4 status and are outside the US: Try to return before tomorrow’s deadline if possible.”
Amazon’s advisory added that anyone who cannot make it back in time should avoid attempting US reentry “until further guidance is provided.”
Amazon employed nearly 15,000 workers under H-1B visas in fiscal year 2024, according to federal filings.
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Within hours of Trump signing the executive order, employees at Microsoft, Meta, and JPMorgan Chase received similar instructions, employees told Business Insider.
Multiple Microsoft employees shared an internal advisory with BI that directed visa holders in the US to stay put “for the foreseeable future” and advised those abroad to make every effort to return before the deadline. “We know this may interrupt your travel plans. But the critical thing is to stay in the US in order to avoid being denied reentry,” the guidance said, according to five Microsoft employees.
It acknowledged that the sudden order “may not leave much time to make travel arrangements” but encouraged employees to “do your best to return.”
The memo also sought to address workers’ anxiety: “I know these developments are creating uncertainty for many of you. While we don’t have all of the answers right now, we ask that you prioritize the recommendations above.”
Microsoft declined to comment.
Meta and JPMorgan did not immediately respond to requests for comment. JPMorgan sponsored the most H-1B visas last year — nearly 2,000 — out of all finance firms, largely for workers with “software” in their title, Business Insider previously reported.
Massive disruption to tech
The urgency of these advisories highlights the massive disruption Trump’s move could trigger across the US tech sector, which relies heavily on foreign-born engineers, developers, and other skilled workers on H-1B visas. Big Tech firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Apple, rank among the top sponsors of such visas, using the program to fill specialized technical roles amid fierce competition for talent.
The new $100,000 fee applies to both new H-1B petitions and renewals. Administration officials said the change is intended to ensure companies only hire foreign workers deemed “very valuable” and to push firms to train Americans instead.
“Either the person is very valuable to the company and America, or they’re going to depart and the company is going to hire an American,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said when the order was announced.
H-1B visas became a flash point before Trump’s second inauguration, with Elon Musk and other tech leaders close to Trump supporting the visa as other Trump backers voiced support for stricter rules.
Trump told the New York Post in December that he has “always liked the visas.”
“I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program,” Trump said.
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