Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Could Sting Seasonal Workforce, Experts Warn
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The Trump administration is set to introduce new fees for visa applicants coming to the United States, including seasonal workers, prompting fears that beach towns and resorts could lose out.
Under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee will be charged, starting next year.
While reportedly refundable, organizations that support temporary workers and cultural exchange visitors from Latin American and Asian countries are warning that cost could be enough to prevent temporary immigrants from applying for J-1 and other temporary visas.
"Even a 10 or 20 percent reduction in program participation would have a significant impact on the seasonal hospitality industry across the country," Kasey Simon, president and responsible officer of United Work and Travel, which works as a J visa program sponsor, told Newsweek.
"We're talking hotel housekeepers, student workers inside of a restaurant, lifeguards, amusements. Everything would be affected."
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and State Department for comment via email and contact form Tuesday morning.
Why It Matters
While the Trump administration has been clear that it wants to increase immigration security by tightening checks, experts have warned that increasing fees will put off legal visitors and workers, while also making it harder for immigrants in the U.S. already to navigate the legal system.
Travelers hand documents to airline staff at Miami International Airport during Memorial Day weekend on May 24.
Travelers hand documents to airline staff at Miami International Airport during Memorial Day weekend on May 24.
GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
Upward of 300,000 people come to the U.S. each year on J-1 visas to work in a variety of roles like au pairs, camp counselors and medical staff, as well as those working summer jobs at resorts, in beach towns and at tourism hotspots.
As of this month, the cost of applying for a J-1 visa is $185, per the State Department, and United Work and Travel is concerned that additional fees will place a heavy burden on low-income workers seeking a U.S. visa.
According to Simon, for two of the main countries his organization works with—Jamaica and the Dominican Republic—the extra fees would likely be the equivalent of a monthly wage for some applicants.
Those who take temporary jobs under the program—from hotel cleaning roles to camp counselors—often cover jobs Americans cannot, Simon noted, because they are available for longer periods of time. For example, they can arrive just before summer peak and work through Labor Day.
What Is the Visa Integrity Fee?
The Visa Integrity Fee was introduced in the OBBB as part of wider immigration changes that released extra funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and added new fees to specific visa and immigration benefits.
"In general -- In addition to any other fee authorized by law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall require the payment of a fee, equal to the amount specified in this subsection, by any alien issued a nonimmigrant visa at the time of such issuance," the bill reads.
The fee is set at $250 for the first year, and it would be refunded to each applicant as long as they leave the U.S. once the visa term expires, and they do not seek unauthorized work. If an individual opts to stay in the country and apply for a longer-term visa or green card, it is unlikely the fee will be reimbursed.
Tourists take photos of the Statue of Liberty aboard a ferry to Liberty Island in New York City on February 13, 2023.
Tourists take photos of the Statue of Liberty aboard a ferry to Liberty Island in New York City on February 13, 2023.
Getty Images
Will ESTA Be Affected?
It does not appear that tourists eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), will need to pay the additional fee, but the cost is rising from $21 to $40.
The U.S. Travel Association warned that even this increase could hurt tourism numbers.
What People Are Saying
Simon, in his interview with Newsweek: "There are some positives here. It does encourage compliance and lawful conduct for participants ... and it does help to fund the U.S. immigration system and process, and we all want that as well."
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman, in a statement early this month: "Raising fees on lawful international visitors amounts to a self-imposed tariff on one of our nation's largest exports: international travel spending. These fees are not reinvested in improving the travel experience and do nothing but discourage visitation at a time when foreign travelers are already concerned about the welcome experience and high prices."
The House Judiciary Committee, in a May press release: "President Trump and House Republicans are committed to restoring immigration integrity and enhancing national security. The Judiciary Committee's reconciliation provisions, which passed out of our committee, deliver critical resources to advance both priorities."
What's Next
United Work and Travel is looking for clarification and reassurance from the Trump administration on how the new fee will be implemented, including the refund policy.
Check out Newsweek's live blogs for the latest immigration updates.
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