Mr. Schutt, the tech worker who has pushed to rein in programs like H-1Bs, is part of an informal network that has sought to draw attention to the PERM program, partly by applying for the jobs themselves. He estimates that he has applied to well over 1,000 ads with the telltale sign of a PERM job — like a print-only newspaper advertisement — and gotten zero offers. “It’s just a weird dynamic where I know I’m never going to be considered because it’s not a real job opening,” he said by email.

 

The Fuel Behind Trump’s $100,000 Visa Fee: Lost U.S. Tech Jobs

The president’s decision to charge employers $100,000 per visa for skilled workers seemed to come out of nowhere. But the grievance behind it has been simmering.

By Noam Scheiber

Oct. 3, 2025