What the new H-1B visa changes mean for tech hiring and remote teams

The H-1B visa program has long been a cornerstone of the U.S. tech industry. It enables companies to attract highly skilled professionals from around the world, including engineers, developers, data scientists, and cybersecurity experts, who have helped fuel America’s innovation engine.

With demand consistently outpacing supply, the program has always been competitive; however, the newest presidential proclamation, issued in September 2025, has added a fresh layer of complexity: higher costs, stricter rules, and new limits on entry.

For tech leaders, this raises a critical question: if bringing top talent into the U.S. is harder and more expensive, is it time to rethink how and where work gets done?

Key takeaways

• The 2025 H-1B visa updates add a $100,000 surcharge and new entry restrictions, raising costs and uncertainty for U.S. employers.

• Prioritization of higher-wage, highly skilled roles makes it harder to hire entry- or mid-level foreign talent through the program.

• Distributed hiring is becoming a stronger alternative, enabling companies to access global talent without relying on U.S. visa approvals.

What changed in the H-1B program

The proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, introduced sweeping updates that reshape how companies can use H-1B visas:

• $100,000 surcharge on petitions: Employers filing for new H-1B workers outside the U.S. must pay an additional $100,000 fee. Petitions without this payment may be denied.
  
  
• Entry restrictions: Even if a petition is approved, workers may still be blocked from entering the U.S. unless the employer can prove payment.
  
  
• National interest exceptions: The Department of Homeland Security can waive the payment if admitting the worker serves U.S. national interests, but this is discretionary and uncertain.
  
  
• Prevailing wage revisions: The Department of Labor is directed to revise wage levels to prevent undercutting U.S. salaries.
  
  
• Prioritization for higher-skilled, higher-paid workers: Visa approvals will lean toward candidates with advanced qualifications or high salary offers.
  
  
• Temporary but renewable: The rule is set for 12 months, with agencies reviewing whether to extend it after the next H-1B lottery.

The administration's intent is to curb abuse of the H-1B system, reduce wage suppression, and prioritize truly high-skilled immigration. For employers, the immediate effect is higher costs and more uncertainty.

Impact on U.S. tech companies

These changes create ripple effects across the industry:

• Cost barriers: A $100,000 surcharge is prohibitive for many startups and mid-sized firms. Big tech players may absorb the fee, but smaller companies will struggle to compete.
  
  
• Hiring delays: Entry restrictions mean that even approved candidates may face obstacles in actually joining U.S. teams.
  
  
• Tighter talent pool: With stricter wage and skill prioritization, companies lose flexibility in hiring entry- and mid-level foreign talent.
  
  
• Increased domestic competition: Fewer foreign hires means more pressure on the U.S. talent pool, pushing salaries higher and lengthening time to fill roles.

For companies already navigating a competitive hiring landscape, these hurdles may slow innovation and limit growth.

Opportunities abroad: The rise of distributed teams

While the new rules create friction for relocating talent to the U.S., they also highlight a growing alternative: letting talent stay where they are.

Distributed work has matured since the onset of the pandemic. Remote collaboration tools, global payroll solutions, and IT infrastructure have enabled companies to hire talent anywhere and operate effectively.

Instead of absorbing surcharges or navigating uncertain visa approvals, companies can:

• Build distributed teams across multiple countries.
  
  
• Tap into specialized skills without relocation costs.
  
  
• Access more diverse and inclusive talent pools.

Tech companies like GitLab, Automattic, and Deel have already proven that borderless teams can thrive at scale.

Challenges of global hiring (and how to solve them)

Hiring abroad isn’t without challenges. Companies expanding internationally must account for:

• Compliance: Navigating labor laws, contracts, and tax obligations across multiple countries.
  Solution: Partner with global employment providers (EORs) or legal experts to ensure contracts, taxes, and benefits align with local regulations.
  
  
• Payroll & benefits: Paying employees accurately and competitively in different currencies.
  Solution: Use global payroll platforms that consolidate multi-country payments and standardize benefits.
  
  
• Technology & equipment: Ensuring global workers receive the right hardware and support.
  Solution: Rely on IT Asset Management (ITAM) platforms that ship, configure, and track devices worldwide.
  
  
• Security & compliance risks: Protecting sensitive company data in a globally distributed environment.
  Solution: Implement secure device provisioning, endpoint management, and standardized offboarding processes.

With the right infrastructure and partners, these hurdles can be solved, unlocking the full potential of distributed hiring.

Case study: How Illumio scaled global hiring with GroWrk

Illumio’s rapid expansion into regions such as Japan, Brazil, and the EU has exposed major IT challenges. They lacked legal entities in key markets, vendors were unresponsive, onboarding new hires required workarounds and loaner devices, and the IT team had little visibility into global inventory.

By partnering with GroWrk, Illumio centralized device procurement and shipping worldwide, eliminating the need for local entities. GroWrk preconfigured devices through ABM and Intune, provided real-time tracking and vendor support, and delivered directly to employees in even the hardest-to-serve regions.

With GroWrk, Illumio:

• Cut onboarding delays and eliminated manual order tracking.
  
  
• Reduced vendor response times from days to under an hour.
  
  
• Delivered secure, preconfigured devices to employees globally—without relying on loaners.
  
  
• Freed up IT resources to focus on strategic initiatives while scaling across new markets.

How GroWrk enables global hiring without borders

For companies facing new barriers with the H-1B program, GroWrk makes it possible to bypass immigration bottlenecks and still access top global talent. Instead of relocating employees, you can equip them where they are and keep your teams productive from day one.

Here’s how GroWrk supports distributed hiring at scale:

• Global device procurement and delivery: Ship laptops and essential IT equipment to employees in 150+ countries, pre-configured to your security standards.
  
  
• Day-one readiness: New hires receive secure, fully set-up devices on or before their start date, regardless of their location.
  
  
• Secure offboarding and recovery: When employees leave, GroWrk handles device retrieval, wiping, and redeployment, ensuring your company’s data remains protected.
  
  
• Lifecycle management: Full visibility into your IT assets, from procurement to refresh cycles, ensuring compliance and cost efficiency.
  
  
• Scalable infrastructure: Whether hiring one engineer in Poland or onboarding a team of developers in India, GroWrk removes the logistical barriers to going global.

Ready to build global teams without borders? Book a demo with GroWrk today and see how easy it is to equip and support talent anywhere in the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main change to the H-1B visa program in 2025?

The biggest shift is a new $100,000 surcharge on petitions for workers outside the U.S. Without this payment, petitions may be denied, and workers may be blocked from entry. Additional updates include prioritizing higher-paid workers, revising prevailing wage levels, and giving the Department of Homeland Security discretion to allow exceptions.

How do these changes affect U.S. tech companies?

The surcharge and entry restrictions raise costs and slow down hiring, especially for startups and mid-sized firms. Larger companies may absorb the costs, but all businesses face tighter competition for domestic talent and less flexibility in hiring entry- or mid-level foreign workers.

Are H-1B visas going away entirely?

No. The program still exists, but it’s now more challenging and costly to utilize. Companies will likely reserve H-1Bs for highly specialized or senior roles that require relocation.

What alternatives do companies have to the H-1B hiring process?

Instead of relocating employees, many firms are turning to distributed hiring, building teams abroad and letting talent work from their home countries. This avoids visa hurdles while still allowing access to global expertise.

What challenges come with distributed hiring?

Key challenges include compliance with local labor laws, payroll complexities, secure device provisioning, and protecting sensitive data across borders. Companies require a robust infrastructure to overcome these challenges.

How does GroWrk help with global hiring?

GroWrk enables companies to equip and support remote employees in 150+ countries. Services include global device procurement and delivery, preconfigured day-one readiness, secure offboarding and retrieval, and comprehensive IT asset lifecycle management, enabling businesses to scale distributed teams without the friction of visa requirements.