(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma couldn’t hide his mix of humor and doubt when he heard about US President Donald Trump’s new executive order jacking up the H-1B visa sponsorship fee to a whopping $100,000. Speaking to on Saturday, Sharma quipped, “I pray to God and wait for him to get some wisdom.”
The order, officially called the “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” forces companies to shell out $100,000 every year for each H-1B visa petition. Trump aims to stop what he sees as abuses in the system and put American workers first. He signed it on Friday local time, shaking up the H-1B visa program that’s key for tech jobs.
This change hits Indians hard since they hold about 70% of all H-1B visas—more than any other group, with Chinese workers coming in second. The steep fee could scare off companies, especially smaller ones, from hiring foreign talent. That might send skilled Indian professionals looking for opportunities in places like Canada or Europe instead.
Bikram Chabhal, president of the Association of Visa and IELTS Centres (AVIC), warned that Indian workers will feel the pinch the most. “Seventy percent of H-1B visa holders are Indians,” he told earlier. Before this, the total fee was just $215 plus $750—now it’s over 88 lakh rupees. “These companies will struggle a lot going forward. No one can afford $100,000 a year per visa,” Chabhal added.
Back in India, opposition voices are firing up too. Congress leader Pawan Khera slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue, saying Trump “insults India every day.” Khera pointed out that Rahul Gandhi once urged Modi to call Trump a “liar” right there in Parliament. “If he had said it, the whole country would have backed him. Now, everyone is questioning the PM,” Khera said to .
Experts worry this H-1B visa fee increase could disrupt America’s tech talent pipeline, especially in IT and technology sectors where Indians play a huge role. As the debate heats up, it’s clear the policy shift raises big questions for global job seekers and US companies alike.
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