President Trump’s recent announcement of a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications has sent shockwaves through the Indian professional community in the United States. The H-1B visa program has long been a pathway for skilled Indian workers to pursue the American dream, with prominent figures like Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Sundar Pichai of Google having utilized the program to reach the top of the corporate ladder.
The drastic increase in fees has caused distress and confusion among workers and employers, particularly those from India who have historically been the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program. Indians have consistently won the majority of H-1B visas in the annual lottery, with China coming in a distant second.
As of 2024, there were over 300,000 Indian workers in the United States on H-1B visas, making up a significant portion of the Indian-origin population in the country. Many Indian Americans, including those living in India, owe their U.S. citizenship to their use of the H-1B program.
The new fee has the potential to disrupt the long-standing ties between Indian and American companies, as well as impact India’s economy by reducing remittances from H-1B holders. The exposure that Indians gain to U.S. professional culture and soft power through the program may also be diminished, weakening the bond between the two countries.
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, already grappling with the implications of Mr. Trump’s trade policies, the new fee is yet another complication in the complex relationship between India and the United States. The move could further strain relations between the two countries and hinder the flow of skilled Indian workers to the United States.
