October 10, 2025
October 2025 is likely to be more than just the start of a new fiscal year for U.S. immigration. It could also represent a shift in the U.S. immigration system itself, including who gets access to immigration and under what rules. With new sweeping changes to the H-1B rules, movements in the visa bulletins, and changing visa updates October 2025, the impact is no longer personalized. These changes could alter the direction of immigration policy in the United States altogether.
One of the most shocking changes is that a one-time fee of $100,000 is being added on top of the regular fee for all new H-1B applications that are filed between September 2025 and September 2026. This represents a significant increase in overuse.
This fee increase presents a broader change: the U.S. is indicating that it is no longer willing to accept high-volume applications and seeks higher guardrails, stakes, and clarity in what truly constitutes "specialty" type work. In fact, the finalized H-1B modernization rule (effective January 17, 2025) has already implemented more definitions of specialty occupation, increased oversight, and new Form I-129 requirements.
There is a dual rationale behind the policy logic: directing selection toward higher-paid, higher-skilled roles and eliminating low-margin outsourcing or marginal roles that exploit the H-1B. Over time, this may reduce demand for work sponsorship from firms with low margins or positions deemed marginally beneficial.
This policy change asserts that only the "top tier" of skilled foreign labor should have the right to obtain U.S. work visas. It represents a shift from sheer volume to more selective admissions to the U.S. This change is also likely to create barriers for smaller firms, start-ups, or entry-level roles that cannot absorb such costs.
In the October 2025 Visa Bulletin, both the U.S. State Department and the USCIS decided to utilize the Dates for Filing chart for all family and employment-based categories. This allows many more applicants, especially from backlog-heavy countries like India and China, to file their adjustment of status (I-485) application earlier if their "Final Action Date" is still not current.
Moreover, the bulletin demonstrates meaningful movement in EB-2 and EB-3 categories for India and China, and, while limited, some movement in EB-1 in some locations. India’s EB-2 Final Action date advanced three months, for example, and EB-3 also advanced.
These forward advancements could relieve pent-up demand and lessen some of the backlog pressures on applicants, and provide hope (as well as a legal basis) for many applicants who have been waiting a long time to file earlier than they expected. At the same time, they wait for their Final Action Date. This is a small sign that the U.S. is attempting to temporarily relieve some of the logjam in the employment-based system while addressing more significant structural changes in green card rules.
Aside from visas, USCIS has been rolling out policy changes aimed at tightening up adjudication and expanding its authority. In the last several months, we have seen updates to:
These USCIS news all have implications: the U.S. is not just refining visa volume and process; we are refining the application of policy, standards, and compliance. The message is simple: applications will be reviewed more rigorously, and mistakes will be found with less tolerance.
Expect to see more denials or RFEs for marginal or borderline cases, and applicants and attorneys will need to be leaner, tighter, and more evidentiary driven. The margin between “good enough” and “na-uh” is getting thinner.
Collectively, these changes indicate a refocusing of U.S. immigration policy in 2025:
Briefly, there will be a shake-up in October 2025 that is not strictly related to new deadlines or changed cut-off dates. There is a recalibration with a notable signal: The U.S. is saying immigration should be more strategic, to be less uncertain, and aligned with high skill and national interest.
With the world continually changing, dealing with this upheaval is no easy task. EB1A Experts work hard to track regulatory and green card rules changes all the way through, assisting clients to determine the right filing window, to develop strong evidence packages, and to adapt the strategy when there is a change in the law. With trusted expertise, applicants can work towards a more strategic outcome, despite the uncertainty.
Yes, some changes were made to U.S. immigration policy 2025, particularly visa bulletin dates, processing backlog, and times for some applications. While USCIS processing times generally increased that fiscal year, specific visa categories made notable progress in the October 2025 visa bulletin. Some notable changes include new versions of the forms now requiring the concurrent filing of a medical exam and the EB-4 category reopening to some applicants.
President Donald Trump declared that his administration would assess a fee of $100,000 for new H-1B visa petitions. The fee took effect on September 21, 2025, and will significantly affect employers' ability to hire highly educated foreign workers who enter the U.S. on the H-1B visa.
In 2025, the U.S immigration law for each worker will change, with a new $100,000 annual fee for the H-1B lottery, which weights the chances for a worker with an offer of employment at a higher wage, and increased scrutiny in handling visa applications.
Are you ready to begin with U.S. Immigration policy 2025? Contact EB1A Experts, and we'll help you navigate through this new U.S. immigration landscape.
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