Walmart suspends job offers for H-1B visa after Trump tariff hike

Walmart It temporarily halted hiring of job candidates who need H-1B visas to work in the United States, according to a person familiar with the decision, an example of the ways in which the Trump administration’s immigration policies are shaping the company’s strategy.

Walmart’s decision comes after President Donald Trump in September announced higher visa fees, which allow companies to temporarily hire skilled workers from other countries such as China and India, often in technical roles. The Trump administration said it will now require companies to pay a fee of $100,000 for each new visa application. She said the decision aims to protect the jobs of American workers and end visa abuse.

In a statement, a Walmart spokesperson said: “Walmart is committed to hiring and investing in the best talent to serve our customers while remaining thoughtful about our H-1B hiring approach.”

Exceptions to the pause on H-1B hiring are possible in some cases, said the person familiar with the decision, who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Walmart is the largest employer in the United States with about 1.6 million employees in the country at the end of its most recent fiscal year, most of whom work in the company’s large stores and warehouses. However, H-1B visas are typically used for a small portion of Walmart’s corporate ranks.

The retail giant’s workforce is based at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, as well as major US cities such as the San Francisco Bay Area.

Walmart had 2,390 employees on H-1B visas, making it the ninth-largest U.S. employer issuing visas, according to U.S. government data as of June 30. Microsoft ranks first with 5,189 employees, followed closely by Meta, the parent company of Facebook.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit challenging the new H-1B visa fees.

In a press release, Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber, said the fees “will make it cost-prohibitive for American employers, especially startups and small and medium-sized businesses, to take advantage of the H-1B program, which Congress created expressly to ensure that American companies of all sizes can access the global talent they need to grow their operations here in the United States.”

Walmart’s policy change was first reported by Bloomberg.