Google employees protest H-1B visa fee hike, says: One of the world's most powerful companies refuses to…

Unionised Google employees gathered outside the company's Lower Manhattan office Monday, demanding their employer publicly oppose President Trump's executive order imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications—a 6,600% increase from current costs.

Around 25 Alphabet Workers Union members criticised Google's silence on the immigration policy that has thrown corporate America into chaos since last week's announcement, as reported by Business Insider. "Google is one of the most powerful companies in the world, and they have yet to say anything about what's happened and really take a stand and side with their own workers," union president Parul Koul told Business Insider.


The protest comes after Google issued an urgent internal memo through its immigration law firm BAL, instructing H-1B visa holders abroad to return immediately or face potential re-entry complications. The White House later clarified the fee applies only to new applicants.

Tech giants stay silent as immigration policy creates corporate chaos

Google applied for nearly 5,500 H-1B visas in 2024, making the policy particularly impactful for the tech giant. A software engineer at Google, Tim Traversy, 29, challenged the company during the demonstration: "They are one of the largest and most powerful companies in the US. Will they stand with the immigrant workers that helped build this company?," as reported by Business Insider.

The protesters also demanded Google extend severance as payroll time for laid-off visa holders, giving them more time to find new employment before losing legal status.

White House clarifies H-1B policy

Following initial confusion about the policy's scope, the White House issued clarifications Saturday. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasised on social media that the substantial fee applies exclusively to fresh applications beginning with March 2026's visa lottery, leaving current holders and renewals unaffected.

Trump's Friday executive order triggered immediate corporate responses across the tech sector. Major employers including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Tesla issued urgent advisories for their H-1B workforce to avoid international travel or return immediately. The policy's announcement created such alarm that some travellers at San Francisco International Airport abandoned their flights upon learning of the new requirements.

At San Francisco airport, passengers reportedly deplaned from India-bound flights after learning about the new rules.

Lu Liu, a former H-1B holder who became a permanent resident in 2017, told Business Insider he "would've canceled his travel plans had he still been on the visa" and plans to check on teammates when he logs on.

Google representatives did not respond to requests for comment on potential public statements regarding the H-1B fee policy.