Seoul: U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has proposed a fee of more than US$103,000 for new H-1B visas, which are designated for highly skilled foreign workers. This was revealed in a government notice on the Federal Register on Monday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Department of Homeland Security has put forward a proposal for a $103,265 fee specifically for the H-1B visa program, which caters to skilled professionals in fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math. This proposal comes despite a federal judge ruling in June that the fee was illegal. The department has announced plans to accept public comments on the proposal for a period of 30 days following the official publication of the notice, scheduled for Tuesday.

The department explained in the notice that the proposed fee is intended to serve as a dedicated revenue mechanism to help recover part of the federal government's costs associated with administering the lawful immigration system. In September, President Trump signed a proclamation to impose an annual fee of $100,000 for H-1B nonimmigrant visa applications. However, this proclamation is set to expire next month as outlined in its stipulations.

The proposal aligns with the Trump administration's continued focus on tightening immigration controls as part of its America First policy. It is pertinent to note that the H-1B program is subject to an annual worldwide cap of 85,000 visas.