WATERVILLE, MAINE — The familiar walk down Mayflower Hill is now filled with uncertainty for many of the College’s international students, as the dream of working in the U.S. after graduation is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve due to a sudden new H-1B visa rule. The change is hitting students with liberal arts and non-STEM majors the hardest.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation over the weekend imposing a new, substantial fee for companies that wish to hire H-1B visa workers. The proclamation now requires a staggering $100,000 fee per worker on all new H-1B petitions, a move the administration says is meant to prioritize American citizens’ jobs. This fee, which is in addition to existing application costs, can make hiring an international graduate expensive, especially for smaller companies and non-profit organizations.
Unlike the previous lottery system, which focused on a limited number of visas, this new measure acts as a financial barrier, effectively barring access to lower-tech industries. This policy places a burden on liberal arts graduates, whose broad skills in critical thinking, writing, and communication are essential, but not typically tied to corporate companies that might absorb these costs.
For many, the policy’s ripple effects are already altering the very courses they take. A first-year from the People’s Republic of China, who requested anonymity, came to the college with plans to major in philosophy. “I believe philosophy provides a strong foundation for any career, especially in tech ethics,” they said. “But now, I feel like I have to reconsider. A liberal arts degree from Colby might not be enough to justify a company paying $100,000 for my visa. I am now strongly considering a computer science major, but that’s not what I really want to do.” Their initial passion is being sidelined by economic reality, leaving them contemplating a major based on immigration policy rather than personal interest.
The impact isn’t limited to a shift in academic plans: it’s also contributing to career reconsideration. A senior from Accra, Ghana, majoring in environmental science, is worried about how their plans will be affected. “I came to the U.S. to study conservation and sustainability, and I wanted to work for a non-profit or government agency here that focuses on climate change,” they said. This $100,000 price is a cost that non-profits simply cannot absorb,” they continued. “It’s a devastating blow to my career goals.”
For non-profit and public sector organizations, the added visa cost is a significant portion of their annual budget, making the hiring of an international graduate a weighted consideration. The senior is now shifting their focus to opportunities in Canada and Europe, which have more generous immigration policies for skilled professionals.
According to CNN, the new visa fee also highlights a potential disconnect between the administration’s goals and the reality of the global talent market. While the policy is meant to act as protection for American workers, it may instead push top international talent away from the U.S. and toward competing nations. Countries like Canada and Germany have been actively refining their immigration systems to attract skilled workers, with points-based systems that reward education, language proficiency, and work experience. They are rolling out new policies aimed at making the transition from student to worker as seamless as possible, which may appear more attractive than the U.S.’s new approach. This could ultimately harm America’s international appeal in key industries, from technology to research and development.
The stories of these students are common among the College’s international community. The new H-1B rules are pressuring students to look beyond the U.S. for their careers. As the College prides itself on a global education, a big question remains: how will its international graduates navigate this new path?
~ Stephen Owusu Badu `27
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