Bipartisan legislation, H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, introduced to exempt physicians/healthcare workers from $100k H-1B payment

On March 17, 2026, a bipartisan group of legislators introduced the H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, which would exempt physicians and healthcare workers from President Trump’s $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B workers. For more information on the $100,000 fee, see our previous post here. As noted by the American Medical Association, international medical graduates makes up about one quarter of practicing physicians in the United States and often work in medically underserved areas throughout the country.  

"The $100,000 filing fee for H-1B petitions adds significant costs for hospitals and private practices, making it more difficult to hire physicians and other health care professionals,” states the American Medical Association. “The added cost will worsen shortages, increase wait times, and force patients to travel farther for care.” 

The text of the bill is as follows: “(a) The restriction imposed, pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation entitled ‘Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers’ . . . shall not apply with respect to any such alien who is employed (or has received an offer of employment) in the health care workforce (as such term in defined in §5101 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) . . . (b) No fee may be imposed on an alien described in subsection (a)) that exceeds the fee set forth in § 214(c)(9)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [].” 

This bill has not yet picked up significant support in the House of Representatives or Senate. We will continue to provide updates on this legislation as they come. 

Read the bill here and the American Medical Association’s press release here.