Lawmakers Pressure DHS to Exempt Healthcare from H-1B Visa Fee Hike

Bipartisan group of 100 lawmakers urge DHS to waive $100,000 fee for healthcare workers amid staffing shortages

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded after a bipartisan group of 100 lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary Kristi Noem, requesting an exemption for healthcare professionals from the recent $100,000 increase in the H-1B visa fee. The lawmakers argued the fee hike would exacerbate existing staffing challenges at hospitals and other critical healthcare facilities, particularly in rural and safety-net settings.

Why it matters

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign nationals for specialty occupations that require technical or professional expertise. The recent fee increase is intended to prioritize hiring of U.S. workers, but some business groups have raised concerns that it could disrupt industries that rely on H-1B talent, including healthcare which faces acute staffing shortages.

The details

The letter, initiated by Representatives Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) and Michael Lawler (R-NY), highlighted that health care providers rely on international workers for essential roles, including physicians, clinical laboratory staff, and other specialists. The lawmakers argued "Imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa petitions will exacerbate hospitals' existing staffing challenges and could push chronically underfunded hospitals to their financial brink."

  • The DHS responded after the letter was sent in February 2026.

The players

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The U.S. government agency responsible for implementing the H-1B visa program and recent fee increases.

Kristi Noem

The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Yvette D. Clarke

A Democratic Representative from New York who co-initiated the letter to DHS.

Michael Lawler

A Republican Representative from New York who co-initiated the letter to DHS.

Danielle Turnipseed

The Chief Public Policy Officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges, who expressed concerns about the impact of H-1B restrictions on the healthcare workforce.

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What they’re saying

“The AAMC knows that restricting access to H1-B visas will worsen the nation's existing physician shortage, put strains on the health care workforce and ultimately jeopardize patient access to care, and we simply can't let any of those things happen.”

— Danielle Turnipseed, Chief Public Policy Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges (Press Release)

What’s next

The letter signatories are awaiting a formal response from DHS on whether healthcare will be exempted from the H-1B fee increase.

The takeaway

The bipartisan push to exempt healthcare from the H-1B fee hike highlights the delicate balance between protecting American jobs and ensuring critical industries like healthcare have access to the skilled foreign talent they need to address staffing shortages, especially in underserved rural and safety-net facilities.