India’s tech sector fears impact of Trump’s US$100,000 H-1B visa on US market
The steep jump in the visa fee from a range of US$2,000 to US$5,000 is expected to curb the flow of India’s tech manpower to the US
On Friday, Washington announced that the H-1B fee would be raised to US$100,000, from a range of US$2,000 to US$5,000 previously, based on the manpower strength of the company applying for the visa.
The H-1B is a three-year renewable work visa programme that economists say has helped American companies stay competitive and grow their business.
Workers from India have consistently accounted for the majority of approved H-1B applications in recent years, many of whom were skilled engineers.
India accounted for 71 per cent of approved H-1B applications last year, compared with second-placed China at 11.7 per cent, according to US government data.
The initial announcement on the visa changes caused confusion and chaos, with some Indian passengers on board aircraft wanting to cancel their flights home, fearing the higher visa costs and travel restrictions.