2025 Yacht Crew Salary Benchmarks What You Should Expect (in USD)
By McGregor Financial Services
(Updated 2025)
Salaries in the yachting industry vary widely depending on yacht size, ownership structure, location, rotation schedule, and crew experience. But in 2025, crew are increasingly demanding clarity and fairness in pay. Understanding benchmarks helps avoid being underpaid and gives leverage in negotiations.
This article breaks down:
Typical salary ranges by role and yacht size (in USD)
Key industry data and sources behind these figures
Why salaries vary across vessels and roles
Practical scenarios to understand how pay works
1. Salary Ranges by Role & Yacht Size (Monthly, Approximate USD)
Role / TierSmaller Yachts (30–50 m)Mid-Size (50–80 m)Large / Superyachts (80 m+)Deckhand / Junior Deck$3,200 – $3,700$3,700 – $5,200$4,000+Steward / Stewardess$3,200 – $4,100$4,100 – $5,800$5,800+Chief Steward / Purser$4,600 – $7,000$6,400 – $8,400+$8,400+Engineer / 2nd EngineerVaries by credential——Captain / Master≈ $11,500+ (on supers)$8,000 – $16,000+$16,000 – $19,000+
Note: These USD figures are converted from EUR (~1 EUR = 1.15 USD) and should be used as rough benchmarks, not fixed amounts.
2. Exemptions, Clarifications & Gray Areas
Because this is a newly declared rule, many details remain unclear. Some things we do know or have strong signals about:
Existing holders and renewals: According to White House statements, the $100,000 fee will not apply to people already holding H-1B status, nor to renewals of their status. AP News+3CBS News+3CBS News+3
Who pays: Traditionally, H-1B application fees are paid by the sponsoring employer. Under the new regime, the employer presumably would also shoulder this new fee. CBS News+1
National interest exception: The proclamation allows for exemptions if the employment or petition is deemed in the national interest, but criteria and process remain vague. Employment Law Worldview+1
Effect on lottery / selection: A proposal now suggests moving away from a pure lottery system toward one that weights applications by wage levels, giving higher-paid roles greater chances of selection. The White House+3The Guardian+3CBS News+3
Because so much is new, there’s risk of shifting interpretations, legal challenges, and additional guidance.
3. Why Yacht / Maritime Stakeholders Should Care
You might think “this doesn’t apply — I’m in yachting, not tech,” but there are several angles where this H-1B shift is relevant for maritime operations or crew involved in technical, engineering, or specialized roles.
A. Crew in Specialized Roles (Engineers, IT, Technical Systems)
Some yacht crew are not just deckhands or stewards — they may perform high-technology, engineering, or systems work (navigation software, communications systems, onboard automation, marine engineering). In cases where a foreign national is hired for such roles, a variant of H-1B (or similar skilled-work visa) might come into play. That means sponsoring them may now carry a much higher cost.
B. Management / Training Personnel
Yacht management firms often rotate crew, bring in trainers, technical consultants, or specialists (safety, IT, communications) from abroad. If those individuals are brought into the U.S. for contractual or training work under H-1B or related visa categories, this new fee becomes relevant.
C. Policy Direction & Risk Signals
Even if H-1B doesn’t directly apply to your crew, the policy reflects a broader tightening of immigration and increased scrutiny of foreign labor. That signal matters for:
How aggressively authorities might enforce other visa classes (O, L, etc.)
How much flexibility U.S. firms have to bring foreign talent for roles supporting yacht operations
The cost of immigration strategy — every sponsor or vessel operator must reassess which visas are viable
D. Indirect Pressure on Labor Costs
If specialist technical or engineering labor coming from abroad becomes hugely more expensive, that cost may flow indirectly into crew compensation, service contracts, or vessel maintenance budgets.
4. Strategic Implications for Yacht Operators & Crew
Given this shift, here are strategic considerations:
-
Reevaluate whether bringing or using foreign technical labor under H-1B still makes sense given the cost.
-
For critical roles, consider petitions under the “national interest” exception (if criteria become clearer).
-
Explore other visa categories (e.g. O-1, L, J, or treaty-based visas) for special roles to avoid the steep H-1B burden.
-
Factor this new fee into employment costs, especially for roles supporting yachts in U.S. waters or U.S. operations.
-
Because approval and filing may become more cautious or slower, start visa planning earlier — don’t wait till last minute.
-
Stay alert to legal challenges, administrative updates, and clarifications from USCIS / DHS.
For crew: if you are in or aspiring to roles requiring technical specialization, this H-1B shift might constrict opportunities. Understanding your visa options and working with a maritime-savvy immigration attorney is more important than ever.
5. What to Watch Moving Forward
Court challenges & injunctions: It is highly likely that this fee hike and policy will face legal challenges.
Regulatory guidance / implementation rules: How USCIS and DHS interpret this in practice will matter more than the proclamation text.
Interpretation of “new petitions” and renewals: Clarity is needed on change-of-employer, extensions, or transfers.
How “national interest” exceptions are defined: This may open loopholes or carve-outs.
Spillover into other nonimmigrant visa classes: Policies affecting H-1B may signal stricter enforcement in analogous visa types.
The imposition of a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions marks one of the boldest shifts in U.S. immigration policy in recent memory. While at first glance it primarily impacts sectors like tech or engineering, the ripples could reach the maritime and yachting world — especially for specialized crew or support personnel.
For yacht operators and management companies, this change is a red flag: visa strategies must be rethought, budgets must be adjusted, and you should strongly consider alternative visa pathways. For crew aiming to work in particularly technical or managerial roles, understanding your visa options and staying flexible in your career planning is more important than ever.
