Prof G Markets What the $100K H-1B Visa Fee Means for Big Tech + TikTok Deal Details Emerge
277 snips
Sep 23, 2025 
Peter Harrell, a former official at the National Security Council now with the Carnegie Endowment, analyzes the far-reaching economic impacts of Trump's proposed $100K H-1B visa entry fee, shedding light on who stands to gain or lose. Dan Primack from Axios dives into the evolving TikTok deal, revealing the stakes around its algorithm and the Murdochs' involvement. The discussion highlights the shifting power dynamics in media ownership and what it means for information control in a rapidly changing landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
H-1B Fee Will Collapse New Issuance
- Trump's $100,000 H-1B entry fee will sharply reduce new H-1B issuance and reshape who gets visas.
- The average H-1B salary is about $94,000, making the fee prohibitive for many applicants.
Big Firms Can Absorb Fees; Startups Can't
- The fee may push big tech to focus H-1B hiring on higher-value roles while squeezing nonprofits and hospitals.
- Large firms might absorb fees, but small employers and startups will face real harm.
Innovation At Risk—Startups Lose Out
- Established tech platforms will likely still hire key foreign engineers by paying the fee.
- The major casualty will be early-stage startups that historically relied on affordable H-1B talent.