In a move that has stunned much of the tech industry, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has come out in favor of President Donald Trump’s new $100,000 H-1B visa fee. While the policy has been widely criticized across Silicon Valley as a threat to innovation and startup growth, Hastings offered a rare endorsement, saying it could bring more clarity and value to the program.
Hastings Breaks from Silicon Valley Consensus
In a statement posted on X, Hastings wrote: “I’ve worked on H1-B politics for 30 years. Trump’s $100k per year tax is a great solution. It will mean H1-B is used just for very high-value jobs, which will mean no lottery needed, and more certainty for those jobs.”
The H-1B visa system allows U.S. companies to employ foreign professionals in highly specialized roles, such as engineering, science, and technology. Currently, there are 85,000 visas available each year, despite receiving over 400,000 applications annually. Roughly half of these applications are tied to the tech and science sectors, with about 30% of jobs paying $100,000 or less.
Hastings’ position is notable because he has long been a Democratic megadonor and a vocal critic of Trump, once declaring that the former president “would destroy much of what is great about America.” His recent endorsement of the controversial fee puts him at odds with influential peers like Elon Musk and leaders from Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, who have condemned the new rules.
White House Issues Clarification After Confusion
Hastings’ statement also added to the initial uncertainty around the fee. In his post, he described the $100,000 charge as an annual tax. However, the White House quickly clarified that this was not the case.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained on Saturday that the fee is a one-time payment, not a recurring yearly charge. She noted that the policy applies only to new H-1B petitions beginning with the March 2026 lottery cycle, and does not affect renewals or existing visa holders.
Leavitt posted on X: “This is NOT an annual fee.”
Weekend Turmoil for the Tech Industry
The announcement caused widespread chaos across Silicon Valley following Trump’s executive order on Friday. Major corporations, including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Tesla, issued urgent instructions advising their H-1B employees to remain in the United States or return before the new rules took effect on Sunday.
Reports from San Francisco International Airport described scenes of passengers disembarking from India-bound flights after learning of the policy changes. The sudden shift created uncertainty for both foreign workers and their employers, with many scrambling to understand how the policy would affect ongoing projects.
Startups Express Concern Over Hiring
While tech giants may be able to shoulder the additional costs, smaller companies have expressed alarm. For startups, where budgets are tight and funding cycles are critical, the $100,000 fee could shorten financial runway by several months. Entrepreneurs argue that this barrier could prevent them from accessing specialized international talent needed to scale their businesses, leaving them at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors.
A Divisive Policy with Far-Reaching Impact
Supporters of the measure, including Hastings, argue that the fee will ensure H-1B visas are reserved for high-value, high-paying positions, eliminating the current lottery system and creating more predictability for applicants and employers alike. Critics counter that the policy risks making the U.S. less attractive to global talent, which could damage its long-term competitiveness in technology and innovation.
As debate intensifies, one thing is clear: the $100,000 H-1B visa fee marks one of the most significant shifts in U.S. immigration policy for skilled workers in decades. With prominent voices now split and Hastings breaking ranks with most of Silicon Valley the fight over the future of the H-1B program is far from over.
