The port-of-entry route involves only the CBP admission fee; the I-129 route carries USCIS petition fees and optional premium processing from the fee schedule. The choice usually turns on certainty and timing rather than the fee difference.
Compare the fees, then compare what each route buys
At the port of entry the applicant pays the CBP fee on admission and is adjudicated there, but a complete file does not guarantee immediate approval. Filing Form I-129 with USCIS requires an eligible U.S. employer-petitioner to pay the petition fee, an asylum-program fee where applicable and optional premium processing, with amounts on Form G-1055.
A foreign baccalaureate may require an equivalency evaluation; the diploma alternative itself must meet the USMCA definition of a post-secondary diploma issued by an accredited institution in Canada or the United States. Certified translations and professional advice are separate costs. Current government amounts should be read from official schedules.
Hypothetical example: a university librarian is offered a short contract and the employer wants the lowest upfront cost. The decision is not simply which government charge is smaller. A same-day CBP presentation concentrates the risk in the documents she carries, while a petition may give the employer a written decision before travel.
She should obtain the current fee page, identify who pays each required charge, and reserve money for translations or missing evidence before selecting the route.