A recent survey conducted by Blind, a verified anonymous workplace platform, reveals that half of U.S. professionals believe the Trump administration’s steep increase in H-1B visa fees is prompting companies to expand operations overseas rather than hire more American workers.
The survey, which gathered responses from 1,794 verified professionals between September 24 and October 14, 2025, sheds light on growing concerns about the impact of immigration policy on the U.S. workforce and global competitiveness.
100-Fold H-1B Fee Increase Sparks Strategic Shifts
On September 21, the Trump administration implemented a dramatic 100-fold increase in the H-1B visa application fee, raising it from $1,000 to $100,000 per worker.
The H-1B program allows U.S. companies to employ foreign professionals in specialized fields such as technology and engineering.
The administration has argued that the fee hike will protect American jobs and reduce dependence on lower-cost foreign labor.
However, the Blind survey suggests that the policy may be having the opposite effect.
When asked how businesses are likely to respond, 50% of participants said companies would expand overseas offices.
This figure was more than double the 23% who anticipated increased local hiring within the U.S., and significantly higher than the 17% who expected companies to leverage remote global talent.
Political and Visa Status Groups Show Consistent Trends
The survey included a balanced mix of respondents—supporters, opponents, and neutrals toward the administration—and categorized them by visa status: U.S. citizens, green card holders, and H-1B workers.
The trend of favoring overseas expansion over domestic hiring held across most groups.
Only among Trump supporters did optimism about U.S.-based hiring outweigh concerns about offshoring, with 43% predicting more domestic jobs compared to 36% expecting overseas growth.
H-1B Hiring Expected to Decline
When asked about the direct impact on H-1B hiring, 40% of respondents predicted a decrease, nearly double the 22% who expected no change.
Among those anticipating a reduction, 26% foresaw a significant drop in hiring.
This sentiment was consistent across political affiliations and visa categories, indicating broad concern about the future of foreign talent in the U.S. workforce.
Employees outside major tech firms like Apple and Microsoft expressed particular worry.
One startup employee posted on Blind: “I have been asked to fully stop sourcing H-1B resumes. OPT employees are being given the choice of moving to India or Canada. No more H-1B transfers. H-1B extensions at VP approval.”
An Amazon employee added: “Google, Microsoft, and Amazon can swallow the cost, but no one is paying six figures just to hire someone.”
They said, “The only winners here are countries that actually want talent. America just taxed itself out of the talent war.”
Layoff Concerns Remain Mixed
Opinions were divided on whether the fee hike would lead to layoffs of existing H-1B workers.
While 35% expected no major impact, 30% were uncertain, and 28% believed companies might reconsider retaining H-1B employees due to the increased costs.
About the Survey and Platform
Blind, founded in Silicon Valley in 2013, is a workplace community platform that verifies users through their work email.
It aims to foster transparent and sustainable workplace cultures by amplifying employee voices.
Over 80% of employees at Meta and Uber in the U.S. use the platform.
Blind expanded into India earlier this year, where it has quickly gained traction among tech and finance professionals.
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