Free Republic

India said on Saturday that the Trump administration’s move to increase U.S. H-1B visa fees to $100,000 per year was likely to have humanitarian consequences, warning of potential disruptions for families. India was the largest beneficiary of the U.S. H-1B skilled worker visas last year, accounting for 71% of approved applications. Companies will now have to pay the new $100,000 per year fee, which is set to take effect from Saturday midnight. (0400 GMT on Sunday). The move, announced on Friday, could further strain ties between India and the U.S., which hit their lowest point in decades after President Donald...

Hours after the US administration put a prohibitive USD 100,000 (about Rs 88 lakh) as fee for H-1B visa applications, India said on Saturday that this measure is likely to have “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families” and the Indian government expressed hoped that these disruptions can be “addressed suitably by the US authorities”. The Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The Government has seen reports related to the proposed restrictions on the US H-1B visa program. The full implications of the measure are being studied by all concerned, including by Indian industry,...

New Delhi: United States President Donald Trump hiking H-1B non-immigrant visa fees to a steep USD 100,000 would affect thousands of Indian students with the American dream. It will sharply reduce low and mid-paid H-1B hiring, concentrate approvals on senior and high-value roles, and force employers and employees to shift to alternative pathways, or restructure staffing models. Immediate effects are already visible in travel advisories and market reactions; medium-term effects will reshape sourcing strategies in tech, professional services, and higher education. The hike would mainly affect those aspiring for a middle or entry-level jobs, where the early career median wage...

India’s top IT industry body, Nasscom, has raised alarm over the US’ decision to impose a steep USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, warning that the move could disrupt global operations of Indian technology services companies and unsettle thousands of skilled professionals working onshore in the US. The IT body added that what is even more concerning is that the order, which takes effect at 12:01 am on September 21, leaves just a one-day window for compliance. Nasscom said the abrupt rollout has created “considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world.” Adjustments of this nature...

The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B worker visas, potentially dealing a big blow to the technology sector that relies heavily on skilled workers from India as well China. Tech giants Amazon and Microsoft have already advised their foreign employees holding H-1B and H-4 visas to immediately return to the United States and urged the H-1B holders to stay in the US "for the foreseeable future", according to internal communications seen by Reuters. In internal notes circulated to staff, Amazon urged H-1B visa holders currently in the United States to...

A leading U.S. tech giant has issued an urgent advisory to its H-1B employees visiting India, warning that they may be unable to return to the United States after September 21, unless their visa petitions carry an additional $100,000 payment as required under a new Trump administration proclamation. Employees already in the U.S. have been told to remain there for the foreseeable future to avoid being locked out. While the proclamation does not directly reference H-4 dependents, the advisory recommends that spouses and children on dependent visas also avoid international travel. -snip- For H-1B employees currently outside the U.S., including...

-snip- Foreign workers, starting September 21, can’t enter the U.S. on an H-1B visa unless their employer’s petition (the paperwork requesting the visa) includes an extra $100,000 payment to the federal government. This fee must be renewed and paid annually, according to United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. -snip- Nationally, there are approximately 730,000 active H-1B holders as of early 2025. -snip- Washington currently ranks 4th nationally for H-1B activity. The state, particularly the Seattle metropolitan area, is a major hub for the U.S. tech industry, with companies like Amazon and Microsoft relying heavily on H-1B visas to hire...