H-1B Visa Fee Hike: Trump Makes US Entry Costly for Professionals

The dream of working in the U.S. just became more expensive. U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an order increasing the annual H-1B visa fee to $100,000 (around ₹88 lakh). This move could significantly impact Indian professionals, many of whom rely on the H-1B program to work in America’s IT and tech sectors.

H-1B Visa: Now Costly and Challenging

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals for positions that cannot easily be filled by American citizens or permanent residents. Under the new order, companies must pay $100,000 annually to employ any foreign professional, a massive increase compared to previous fees. This makes hiring foreign talent financially challenging for many firms.

Big Companies Involved in Decision

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated at an Oval Office event that this decision was made in consultation with major companies. The goal is to encourage companies to hire domestic talent instead of relying on foreign workers. Companies must pay the $100,000 fee upfront to the government before paying the employee, which makes it financially impractical for many firms.

Goal: Boost American Talent

Lutnick explained that the policy aims to train and employ graduates from American universities, ensuring that foreign professionals do not replace local talent. While this is a significant shift for the U.S. tech sector, heavily reliant on skilled workers from countries like India and China, it is intended to strengthen domestic employment and reduce dependency on foreign labor.

This policy is expected to reshape hiring patterns in the American tech industry, impacting both startups and large corporations that historically brought in junior and mid-level engineers from abroad.