Six-figure fee proposal could make US hiring far costlier for Indian professionals
The Donald Trump administration has proposed making a more than $100,000 fee for H-1B visas permanent, potentially raising the cost of hiring highly skilled foreign workers and creating fresh concerns for Indian professionals. The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed a fee of $103,265 for H-1B petitions subject to the annual cap.
The proposed fee would be paid when an employer files an H-1B petition and would come in addition to existing fees. The Department of Homeland Security said the measure could generate around $8.8 billion annually, with the money used to support immigration processing, fraud detection, national security vetting and immigration court operations.
Why Indians could be among the biggest affected
The proposal is particularly significant for India because Indian professionals account for the largest share of H-1B beneficiaries. According to the latest USCIS data, 71% of approved H-1B petitions in FY2024 were for beneficiaries born in India.
The H-1B programme is widely used by US technology companies and other employers to hire skilled foreign workers. The proposed fee could therefore make companies more cautious about sponsoring overseas employees, potentially affecting hiring decisions involving Indian IT professionals.
The proposed fee would apply to cap-subject H-1B petitions, including cases eligible for the advanced-degree exemption. However, certain petitions that are not subject to the annual cap, including those filed by some universities, research organisations and government research institutions, would not face the additional charge.
Proposed fee follows earlier $100,000 move
The latest proposal comes after the Trump administration introduced a $100,000 H-1B fee last year. A federal judge subsequently struck down that earlier measure, ruling that the administration had exceeded its authority. The new proposal seeks to establish the higher charge through a different regulatory route.
The proposed rule will now go through a 30-day public comment period before the administration decides whether to finalise it. If implemented, the fee would represent a dramatic increase from the earlier H-1B costs, which typically ranged from about $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the petition.
The proposal is also likely to face legal challenges from businesses and other groups that argue such a steep fee could hurt sectors dependent on foreign skilled workers.
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Erratic policies of Stump just as his mind is. The worst of the worst President of USA and should be given worst Nobel Prize i.e. Duryodhan award