# H-1B: what changed, with sources (checked 13 October 2026)

Checked by a research subagent against primary sources where they exist.
Status per item: VERIFIED (primary), SECONDARY ONLY.

1. Proclamation 10973, signed 19 Sept 2025, effective 21 Sept 2025, 12 months:
   $100,000 payment for new H-1B petitions. 90 FR 46027. VERIFIED.
   https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers/
2. USCIS, 20 Oct 2025: applies to new petitions for beneficiaries outside the
   US without a valid H-1B visa; not to amendment, change of status or extension
   for someone inside the US, if granted. VERIFIED.
   https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/presidential-proclamation-on-restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers
3. Chamber of Commerce v. DHS (D.D.C. 1:25-cv-03675, Judge Howell): fee upheld,
   23 Dec 2025; D.C. Cir. appeal 25-5473 pending. Holding VERIFIED (cited in the
   N.D. Cal. order), date SECONDARY ONLY.
   https://www.aila.org/library/district-court-rules-in-favor-of-dhs-in-lawsuit-over-100-000-h-1b-fee
4. California v. Mullin (D. Mass. 1:25-cv-13829, Judge Sorokin), 20 states:
   8 June 2026 agency guidance vacated; stayed by the court 12 June (SECONDARY
   ONLY); First Circuit denied stay pending appeal 24 July 2026. VERIFIED.
5. Proclamation 11069, signed 18 Sept 2026: extends to 21 Sept 2027; says the
   payment "has been made for over 700 petitions". VERIFIED.
   https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/restriction-on-entry-of-certain-nonimmigrant-workers/
6. Global Nurse Force v. Trump (N.D. Cal. 4:25-cv-08454-HSG, Judge Gilliam),
   30 Sept 2026: agency policies vacated and remanded, enforcement enjoined
   until notice-and-comment rulemaking; relief against the proclamations
   themselves denied; stay pending appeal denied. VERIFIED (Dkt. 130).
   https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.457426/gov.uscourts.cand.457426.130.0.pdf
7. Government appealed to the Ninth Circuit 9 Oct 2026. SECONDARY ONLY.
   https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/trump-appeals-court-loss-that-blocked-100-000-h-1b-fee-policies
8. Not collected as of 13 Oct 2026. The USCIS H-1B page (last updated
   21 Sept 2026, so before the N.D. Cal. order) describes the Massachusetts
   vacatur of 8 June, the First Circuit's denial of a stay on 24 July, and says
   DHS "will comply with the court's order while DHS considers next steps" and
   still plans to collect the payment if the order is lifted. VERIFIED, re-read
   13 Oct 2026 after the fact check flagged the date.
   https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/h-1b-specialty-occupations
9. Weighted cap lottery: final rule 90 FR 60864, 29 Dec 2025, effective
   27 Feb 2026, one entry per wage level; first used for FY2027 registration,
   4 to 19 March 2026. VERIFIED.
   https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-29/html/2025-23853.htm
10. DOL prevailing wage NPRM 91 FR 15454, 27 March 2026; proposed, not final.
    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/27/2026-06017/improving-wage-protections-for-the-temporary-and-permanent-employment-of-certain-foreign-nationals
11. DHS NPRM 25 Aug 2026 (USCIS-2026-0298): proposed $103,265 fee for all H-1B
    cap-subject petitions, including for people already in the US. Not final.
    VERIFIED (NPRM text).
    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/25/2026-17324/fee-for-certain-h-1b-petitions
12. Handshake 10.9% (2023) to 2.6% (2026) of full-time postings offering
    sponsorship: only via CNBC, 24 May 2026; no Handshake publication or method
    found. SECONDARY ONLY.
    https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/24/for-international-students-seeking-us-jobs-the-american-dream-is-collapsing.html
13. Indeed Hiring Lab, 8 July 2025: share of all US postings mentioning visa or
    green card sponsorship 0.04% (June 2021), peak 0.16% (Oct 2024), 0.14%
    (May 2025); mostly healthcare. VERIFIED.
    https://hiringlab.indeed.com/2025/07/08/post-pandemic-spike-in-jobs-offering-visa-sponsorship/
    No study found that measures sponsorship statements or application-form
    questions in software engineering postings.