On September 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a decree that sent shockwaves through the U.S. technology and gaming sectors: effective at 12:01am ET on September 21, the application fee for new H-1B visas would surge to a staggering $100,000 per petition. For an industry already grappling with intense global competition and a chronic shortage of specialized talent, the announcement was more than just a bureaucratic tweak—it marked a seismic shift in how the United States approaches international expertise in fields like gaming, software, and advanced engineering.
Previously, the H-1B visa—introduced in 1990 under President George H.W. Bush—had application fees ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the size of the employer. The new six-figure fee, according to the White House, is a one-time charge on submission of a new H-1B petition. Existing visa holders and those who applied before September 21 escape the increase, but for companies hoping to bring in new talent, the cost structure has been dramatically reshaped. The Department of Homeland Security also announced it would prioritize high-skilled, high-paid applicants in the H-1B lottery, shifting the focus toward those earning more and, presumably, contributing more to the U.S. economy.
For the U.S. video game industry—a sector that has long relied on a blend of homegrown and international talent—the timing and scale of the fee hike couldn’t be worse. According to data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) analyzed by industry insiders, only 0.8% of all H-1B visas are allocated to the gaming sector, representing a tiny but critical slice of highly specialized workers. Between 2015 and 2024, U.S.-based gaming companies with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion received just 5,689 H-1B approvals, averaging 569 per year, with a peak of 899 in 2022.
In 2024, Sony led the pack with 154 approved H-1B applications, down from 199 in 2022. Electronic Arts followed with 110, while Roblox—whose reliance on foreign engineering talent has grown dramatically—secured 99, up from just seven a decade ago. Digital-first publishers like Roblox, Niantic, and Epic Games have leaned more heavily on foreign expertise than legacy peers, reflecting the global and collaborative nature of modern game development.
But the new fee, expected to add an annual cost of $23 million to the video game industry alone, threatens to upend the delicate balance. As one former H-1B visa holder and current industry executive put it, “If the enormous fees that exist today had been in place back then, I would have been unable to work in the US. It would have prevented me from starting a life here, building several companies, creating hundreds of jobs over the years, or becoming an investor.” The emotional toll of the visa process, he added, is already significant: “The uncertainty is emotionally taxing—not knowing whether you’ll be allowed to stay or forced to leave if denied. Even with a fully loaded legal team handling the paperwork, this is no picnic. It borders on cruel.”
The H-1B process itself is notoriously complex, especially for creative and collaborative industries like gaming. To qualify, applicants must either hold a major international award or meet at least three out of ten criteria, such as industry awards, press coverage, or critical roles. Yet, as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services points out, “Participation in an award-winning project is not documentation of the individual’s receipt of a prize or award as the regulation requires.” In an industry where innovation is a team sport, the system insists on solo performance—leaving many deserving candidates out in the cold.
Industry observers warn that the new fee structure will stifle innovation by favoring large, risk-averse incumbents over smaller, more creative studios. As the surcharge only applies to new applications (with just 34 percent of H-1B visas in 2024 going to new roles), the burden falls heaviest on startups and foreign firms with U.S. outposts. “Unable or unwilling to carry the newly added costs, fewer smaller companies and foreign firms with US offices will apply,” one analyst noted. As a result, new H-1B visas will likely concentrate among giants like Electronic Arts, Take-Two, and Roblox—firms more concerned with economic efficiency and shareholder value than with creative risk-taking.
The broader economic impact could be profound. Indian nationals, who received 71 percent of approved H-1B visas last year, and Chinese nationals, who received 11.7 percent, are particularly affected. The Indian government has voiced concerns about the “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families,” while experts warn of a near-term “brain drain” as skilled university graduates and seasoned professionals are forced to leave the U.S. for more welcoming destinations.
Indeed, other countries are already positioning themselves to capitalize on America’s self-imposed hurdles. The Financial Times reports that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is exploring proposals to abolish visa fees for skilled foreign workers, hoping to lure global scientists and digital experts to the UK. China, meanwhile, is launching a new K Visa on October 1, aimed at attracting STEM professionals without requiring a job offer in advance. South Korea’s presidential chief of staff has instructed ministries to find ways to attract scientists and engineers displaced by the U.S. changes, while Canada recently lowered its cut-off score for skilled worker immigration and may revive a program allowing H-1B holders to migrate north under more favorable terms.
For the U.S., the risk is clear: as the costs and hurdles mount, international talent will simply go elsewhere. “Making it more expensive for international talent to work for US games companies is a demonstrably bad idea,” one commentator observed, drawing parallels to the UK’s post-Brexit struggles. In Britain, a 2019 study found that one in four video game employers depended on non-UK nationals, and that ending freedom of movement had imperiled creative industries and stunted growth. Firms responded by shifting capacity abroad—a scenario now threatening to play out on American soil.
Even the most successful American tech leaders have sounded the alarm. Elon Musk, himself a former H-1B holder, wrote in 2024, “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H-1B.” The irony, as some see it, is that tech giants who have long supported the administration now find themselves penalized by policies that undermine their competitive edge.
As the U.S. tightens the screws on foreign labor, the global race for talent is only intensifying. Countries like Ireland, Finland, and Germany stand to gain as the U.S. risks its reputation as a magnet for the world’s brightest minds. The result, experts warn, could be a homogenization of output and a decline in long-term productivity growth—not just in gaming, but across the entire tech sector.
For now, the world is watching to see whether America’s loss will indeed become the rest of the world’s gain.
