Government charges follow the published USCIS fee schedule, which differs depending on whether the applicant applies at a port of entry or the employer files a petition. Amounts change, so the schedule should be checked at the time of filing.
Check the schedule rather than a quoted figure
Hypothetical example: There are two cost patterns. If the applicant presents the packet at a port of entry or preclearance location, the charge is the application fee set out on the fee schedule, paid at the time. If the employer files Form I-129 instead, the petition carries its own filing fee and any optional service the employer chooses to add. Beyond government charges there are real costs the applicant should plan for: a credential evaluation where a foreign degree is involved, certified copies of academic records, and translation where documents are not in English. Fees are revised from time to time, so the current schedule is the only reliable figure, and a number quoted in an older conversation should not be relied on.
Budget the government charge, document preparation and any travel or translation expense separately, because they are paid at different stages and by different people. Hypothetical example: Mira, an industrial designer from Canada, has a short project beginning in six weeks. The employer must decide whether the convenience of a petition before travel justifies its cost and lead time, or whether a complete admission package is the better sequence. A rushed file costs more when a missing record requires a second attempt.