America’s retail giant, Walmart, recently made another big move that has many in shock. The retailer is known for its several big moves it has made in the past few months, and this recent move is nothing different. The company paused the hiring process of thousands of individuals due to the new government rule. Most workers who are affected by this are those who require a work visa.
Details about the move the retailer made
Walmart recently made a massive move by pausing employment offers for employees who require H-1B Visas. This decision was made after the administration of United States of America President Donald Trump made an announcement about a new $100,000 fee.
Since Walmart is the largest private employer in the United States, Walmart is additionally the largest user of H-1B visas among major retail chains, according to government data. President Donald Trump announced the new H-1B visa fee on September 19, 2025. However, the president’s promises of certain exemptions that were mentioned remained unclear. The immigration attorneys have also expressed their frustration, when they indicated that there was no clear process for paying the government when submitting applications.
In addition, H-1B visas are specifically created for high-skilled positions that companies struggle to fill. Massive technology companies are the biggest users of the program, and nearly three-quarters of approved applicants come from India. However, it is important to note that there are also essential workers, such as teachers and doctors, who may fall outside that category.
Important facts to know about Walmart’s move
This was first reported by Bloomberg that the move affects mostly corporate roles. This move Walmart made comes as companies across the country are forced to reassess their hiring plans in response to the policy. Walmart currently employs about 2,390 H-1B visa holders, which is making it the largest user amongst the United States retailers.
There are other technology companies that Walmart is behind for example Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, each company of which employ several thousand. The retailer confirmed its decision in a statement the company made in Newsweek stating that it is “committed to hiring and investing in the best talent to serve our customers, while remaining thoughtful about our H-1B hiring approach”.
In addition, as part of ongoing efforts by the White House to reform the immigration system and prioritize American workers, President Trump announced the new H-1B fee as a way to attract the best and brightest employees while the company is still making sure the system was not being abused to recruit cheap labor.
The United States government made issues to about 65,000 H-1B visas annually. This includes 20,000 more for applicants who might advance degrees. Therefore, technology companies are expected to feel the greatest impact from the new fee, as many companies rely heavily on skilled foreign employees.
The people’s opinion
On October 12, 2025, Taylor Rogers, made a statement. Rogers, who is the White House spokesperson, told Newsweek that, “President Trump promised to put American workers first, and his commonsense action on H1-B visas does just that by discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages, while providing certainty to employers who need to bring the best talent from overseas.”
Neil Bradley, who is the executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber, also made a statement. In the statement he alluded to the fact that “The new $100,000 visa fee will make it cost-prohibitive for U.S. employers, especially start-ups and small and midsize businesses, to utilize the H-1B program, which was created by Congress expressly to ensure that American businesses of all sizes can access the global talent they need to grow their operations here in the U.S.”
In addition, the $100,000 fee, although it was announced by the president, has not appeared to be in full effect just yet. Hence, many attorneys have been reporting that they have not been able to pay it when submitting new applications.