Silicon Valley leaders have largely refrained from commenting on the recent increase in H-1B visa fees, raising concerns about its impact on the tech industry.
Silicon Valley executives have remained notably silent regarding the recent hike in H-1B visa fees, a policy change that directly affects the tech industry, one of the most vulnerable sectors. As both startups and major tech firms grapple with increased costs associated with hiring international talent, the lack of public response from these influential leaders has raised eyebrows.
In stark contrast, smaller startups have been vocal about the ramifications of the H-1B fee increase, openly discussing how it has strained their already limited budgets. Many founders express that the heightened costs are forcing them to slow down hiring, rethink planned expansions, and in some cases, even consider relocating operations to countries with more favorable immigration policies. For these young companies, which heavily rely on skilled international talent, the fee increase poses a significant threat to their growth and innovation, making their concerns both immediate and urgent.
While the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a legal challenge against the administration’s $100,000 fee on H-1B visa petitions, some Silicon Valley leaders have surprisingly welcomed the fee hike. Figures such as Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman have expressed support, while others have chosen to remain silent. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a long-time advocate for the H-1B program, has not publicly commented on the fee increase, leading to speculation about his silence, particularly following his recent fallout with former President Trump.
Atal Agarwal, founder and CEO of OpenSphere and LegalBridge, noted, “After the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lawsuit, I feel there is going to be more statement overall around this. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce usually consists of many different companies, so a joint lawsuit addresses that. Another point is – we all know the way Trump works. He is not happy with people or companies that retaliate. So, the real problem here is that companies do not want to go against him in isolation. But yes, everyone was expecting that the corporates would be more active and would issue more statements.”
In 2025, major tech companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta have significantly increased their reliance on H-1B visas, making them some of the largest sponsors of skilled foreign workers. Among these big players, JP Morgan has been one of the few to comment on the issue, while most others have opted for silence despite their growing dependence on the program. Agarwal added, “First of all, we have to realize that Silicon Valley consists broadly of two types of sectors – one, the really big tech companies that have a lot of money and often pay upwards of $300k per year to many H-1B employees. So, a $100k fee, while it bothers them, they know that they can absorb it. The other sector of Silicon Valley consists of founders who have raised VC capital or are in the early stages. These founders usually end up hiring their early employees, and often the founders themselves are immigrants who often end up using the O-1A pathway, so for them, the fee hike does not take any impact.”
JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been among the few industry leaders to directly address the H-1B fee hike, calling Trump’s $100,000 charge “something that came out of the blue.” He stated that the bank would be “engaging with stakeholders and policymakers” regarding the issue. In an interview with The Times of India, Dimon emphasized the importance of visas for a global firm like JP Morgan, saying, “For us, visas matter because we move people around globally – experts who get promoted to new jobs in different markets.” He also highlighted the broader implications, noting, “The challenge is that the US still needs to remain an attractive destination. My grandparents were Greek immigrants who never finished high school. America is an immigrant nation, and that’s part of its core strength.”
The approval figures underscore just how heavily these companies depend on international talent to fuel their growth. Data shared by Amanda Goodall on X indicates that Amazon Web Services led the way in 2025 with 10,044 H-1B approvals, nearly 800 more than the previous year. Microsoft and Meta followed closely with 5,189 and 5,123 approvals, both showing solid year-over-year gains. Apple also experienced an increase with 4,202 approvals, while JP Morgan Chase saw a sharp rise to 2,440, an increase of more than 700. Together, these numbers highlight a growing reliance on skilled workers from abroad, even as policy costs escalate.
Given these soaring approval numbers, the silence of most tech leaders is even more pronounced. Their companies are among the heaviest users of the H-1B program, yet they appear hesitant to speak out, possibly fearing political backlash or the risk of being blacklisted at a time when federal contracts and regulatory goodwill are crucial to their operations. For firms that depend heavily on Washington’s support—whether through infrastructure partnerships, AI research grants, or defense-related deals—the calculation may be that remaining quiet protects their interests, even if the policy directly undermines their hiring pipelines.
At the same time, if Silicon Valley giants choose to quietly accept the fee hike, they risk slowing down their hiring processes and narrowing their intake to only those skilled workers who can absorb the added costs. This selective hiring could disrupt revenue growth, stifle innovation, and ultimately harm competitiveness. Yet, despite these significant stakes, the industry’s most influential voices remain silent.
Are they working behind the scenes on a larger strategy? Will they press the Trump administration to reconsider, or simply move forward by absorbing the blow? If pressure mounts, could they follow the lead of smaller startups by relocating operations or relying more on remote talent, ironically at a time when many insist on returning to physical offices?
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