A new $100,000 fee imposed by the federal government for certain foreign hires will significantly raise the cost of bringing international talent to U.S. campuses, altering budget assumptions for research labs, professional schools and administrative hires that rely on H‑1B and other work visas. The policy shift comes amid broader immigration and visa changes that have already cooled international recruitment. Higher‑education HR and international offices now must account for the surcharge when planning faculty lines, postdoctoral appointments, and skilled professional recruits. Smaller colleges with limited endowment support and heavy reliance on contingent faculty say the fee could deter hiring while larger research institutions may absorb costs or shift recruiting strategies toward domestic or international hires who require less sponsorship. The fee is likely to intensify competition for global talent, push institutions to lobby for exemptions or mitigations, and accelerate contingency planning around remote appointments, joint‑degree arrangements with overseas partners, and use of visiting‑scholar models that shift sponsorship burdens.