Beyond Silicon Valley: Here's why $100K H-1B visa fee could make it hard to hire teachers in rural US schools

Across 12,000 square miles along the Kuskokwim River in western Alaska, the Kuspuk School District faces challenges most educators never encounter. To reach its schools, the district owns two small planes and employs a pilot, ensuring students in remote villages have access to learning despite the distance. Staffing these schools, however, is an even greater hurdle.

International teachers form the backbone
Nearly 60% of Kuspuk ’s certified teachers come from the Philippines, including all special education instructors and staff at five of the district’s eight operating schools. Most hold J1 visas, a cultural exchange program that allows teachers to work in the United States for up to five years. Increasingly, teachers are entering on H-1B visas, which permit longer-term employment, a critical factor in tight-knit rural communities where continuity matters.

Federal policy raises concerns
Recent federal policy changes have raised concerns about the district’s ability to maintain its workforce. Last month, President Donald Trump issued an order imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, primarily targeting the technology sector. Critics say that while the fee may or may not affect Silicon Valley engineers, it could be devastating for rural school districts that rely on international teachers to fill hard-to-staff roles.

Why local recruitment is difficult
The superintendent of Kuspuk highlighted the difficulty of recruiting American teachers to remote communities. Many are inexperienced graduates who do not remain in the district long-term. While “grow-your-own” programs that train local residents as teachers exist, these initiatives take time. International teachers, by contrast, provide both expertise and stability. Experienced educators with advanced degrees are able to reach students in places where teacher turnover has historically been high, Chalkbeat reports.

Rural districts across the US face similar issues
In southeast Alaska, one superintendent recently hired three H-1B teachers to fill special education and high school positions that had remained vacant for an entire school year. Leaders in Montana report that international teachers often hold more advanced credentials than local hires and tend to earn higher salaries, yet they provide indispensable continuity for students in underserved communities, according to Chalkbeat.

H-1B teachers in context
Federal data analyzed by Chalkbeat shows that at least 2,000 H1B visas were sponsored by school districts and charter networks this year. These educators work across the United States, from large metropolitan districts in New York City and Chicago to one-room schoolhouses in Montana. They often fill specialized positions in secondary math and science, bilingual education, and special education. In Alaska, they can be found in nearly every role, including principals. The majority come from the Philippines, where English fluency and familiarity with American-style education make integration smoother.

The cost and commitment of H1B sponsorship
Sponsoring H-1B visas is costly for districts. Fees range from $3,000 to $20,000 per teacher, and the process can be administratively complex. Yet district leaders argue the investment is worthwhile. In Alaska, many villages are accessible only by plane or boat. Housing is limited, amenities are sparse, and living in schools is sometimes necessary. International teachers not only fill essential roles, they often become embedded members of the community.

A personal story of commitment
One Kuspuk educator who began on a J1 visa shared how the district helped him convert to an H-1B, enabling him to stay beyond the initial five-year limit, as reported by Chalkbeat. The adjustment was challenging, but he valued the small class sizes, professional growth opportunities, and relationships with students. Teacher turnover undermines learning, and international teachers are key to sustaining it.

Advocacy for exemptions

The School Superintendents Association has petitioned for exemptions to the new H1B fee for K-12 educators. Federal officials have the authority to waive fees if doing so serves the national interest and does not threaten public welfare. Advocates argue that ensuring access to qualified educators in rural and underserved areas meets both criteria, Chalkbeat reports.

Why H-1B teachers matter
In rural districts across Alaska and Montana, the story of H-1B teachers is about more than visas and policy. It is about stability, expertise, and trust. All the essential elements for education in places where distance, isolation, and turnover have long challenged learning.

The debate surrounding H-1B fees highlights a tension between national policy and local need. For students in remote villages, the presence of skilled, committed teachers is not optional; it is fundamental to the quality of their education. In Alaska’s far-flung classrooms, the impact of federal decisions is felt in real time, one plane ride and one teacher at a time.