'Remaining thoughtful': What Walmart said about pausing job offers to H-1B candidates

As Walmart paused offers to candidates who would require H-1B visas, the retail chain said they are committed to hiring and investing in the best talent. But they are being thoughtful about the H-1B hiring approach.

“Walmart is committed to hiring and investing in the best talent to serve our customers, while remaining thoughtful about our H-1B hiring approach,” a Walmart spokeswoman told Bloomberg.This comes as the Donald Trump administration imposed a $100,000 visa fee for hiring from foreign countries. According to data, Walmart employs an estimated 2,390 H-1B visa holders, which represents a small fraction of its total US workforce of about 1.6 million. “Walmart is committed to hiring and investing in the best talent to serve our customers, while remaining thoughtful about our H-1B hiring approach,” the spokesperson added.After the administration's new H-1B mandate, Tata Consultancy Services announced that it will stop hiring new employees under the H-1B visa in the immediate future. In the aftermath of the new H-1B mandate, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang struck a different approach and said his company would continue sponsoring H-1B visas as immigration remains essential for America's leadership in technology and innovation.

$100,000 H-1B visa fee not meant for extension, change of status

As the visa fee led to chaos among H-1B holders and companies employing them, the USCIS released a fresh memo clarifying that the new fee is not meant for those who are seeking a "change of status" or "extension of stay". "The Proclamation does not apply to any previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas, or any petitions submitted prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025," the USCIS said. It added that the proclamation also does not prevent any current H1-B holder from travelling in and out of the US.

Many H-1B holders outside the US were immediately called back to the country in panic as they thought they would be diasllowed from entering the country. The proclamation also does not apply to a petition filed at or after "12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, that is requesting an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay for an alien inside the United States where the alien is granted such amendment, change, or extension," the USCIS clarified.