Trump’s $100,000 H-1B fee hasn’t shut the door on SA sport talent

The Trump administration’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas that came into effect in September has raised fears that it has shut the door on South African students who dream of following the path from American university sports scholarships to post-graduation jobs. However, Tyler Hollingsworth from Sable International says that, according to the latest clarifications from US authorities, students who complete their degrees in the US and transition from a student visa to an H-1B are exempt from the new levy. In this interview with BizNews, Hollingsworth says 2025 has been the agency’s busiest year yet for placing South African sporting talent. He also tackles the perception that only provincial or Springbok-level players qualify for scholarships and urges students to plan as early as Grade 9 or 10 if they want the best shot at the top universities. And with the Springboks’ dominance in rugby, he says European universities are now actively trying to lure young talent with free education – and possibly a future cap for their own national sides.