Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington’s medical institutions have paused sponsoring H-1B foreign worker visas as the new $100,000 fee announced last month by President Donald Trump creates broad uncertainty among health care organizations across the state.

Fred Hutch spokesperson Claire Hudson confirmed the pause this week, attributing it to the rapidly changing federal situation around employer sponsorship of immigrant workers.” The halt applies only to new potential hires, she said. The cancer center declined to make an official available for an interview.

Up until now, Fred Hutch has been one of the state’s top health care employers of H-1B visa holders. Over the last five years, the world-renowned clinical and research institution has had 181 such visa applic

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