Report No: 518
Date: 11/16/2000

OMB COST ESTIMATE
FOR PAY-AS-YOU-GO CALCULATIONS

1. LAW NUMBER: P.L.106-311 (H.R. 5362)
2. BILL TITLE: Increase in H-1B Visa Petition Fees
3. BILL PURPOSE: Raises from $500 to $1,000 the fee paid by U.S. employers for filing petitions on behalf of an H-1B visa applicant for: (1) an initial visa; (2) a renewal of a visa; and (3) authorization to change employers.
4. OMB ESTIMATE: P.L. 106-311 extends for two years, through FY 2003, the fee employers must pay to sponsor an alien for an H-1B visa. It also increases the amount of the fee. OMB estimates that fee income will increase by $486 million over the three year period 2001 through 2003. This fee income is available to be spent without further action. Because the spending lags the collection of fees, there are net savings in 2001 through 2003 and net costs in later years.

	(Fiscal years; in millions of dollars)
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Net costs...............	0	-74	-127	-68	159	82

5. CBO ESTIMATE:

	(Fiscal years; in millions of dollars)
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Net costs...............	0	-64	-151	-81	165	96

 

6. EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OMB AND CBO ESTIMATES:

There are minor differences between OMB and CBO estimates of increased fee income and the rate at which program spending will occur.

7. CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF DIRECT SPENDING AND REVENUE LEGISLATION ENACTED TO DATE:

	(Fiscal years; in millions of dollars)
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Outlay effect..............	34	466	1,205	1,289	1,623	1,613
Receipt effect............	-8	-620	-698	-746	-781	-768
Net costs....................	42	1,086	1,903	2,035	2,404	2,381

NOTE: The cumulative effect of direct spending and revenue legislation enacted to date is currently estimated to result in an end-of-session sequester. The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to ensure that an unintended sequester does not occur.