US President Donald Trump imposed new fees on H-1B visas on Friday as part of his wide-ranging crackdown on immigration.

Trump's executive order, which took effect at 12:01 am EDT on Sunday (0401 GMT), hikes the fee for H-1B visa applicants to USD 100,000. It is a one-time fee applied only to new applicants and not holders of existing visas or those seeking renewals.

Related news: Doctors may be spared $1,00,000 H-1B visa fee

WHAT IS THE H-1B VISA PROGRAMME?

Established under the Immigration Act of 1990, the H-1B programme enables US employers to temporarily hire highly skilled foreign professionals in specialized occupations, primarily in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

It requires a bachelor's degree or higher in the specialty, or its equivalent,

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