Congress leader Supriya Shrinate fired sharp criticism at the Indian government on Saturday over the US decision to slap a whopping $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications. She described it as a major setback for India, especially for the country’s young talent and fresh graduates chasing dreams in the US tech scene.
In an interview with in Noida, Shrinate voiced deep worries about how this H-1B visa fee hike could hurt India’s economy. “This is a huge blow to India. It hits our young people hard, particularly juniors and new grads,” she said. “We’ll miss out on US innovation and jobs, and it will cut into remittances that so many Indian families rely on.”
Shrinate took a pointed jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pointing to US President Donald Trump’s recent warm words about their friendship. Just days ago, on September 18, Trump chatted with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a press conference and praised his bond with Modi. “I’m very close to India. I’m very close to the Prime Minister of India,” Trump said, adding that he had wished Modi a happy birthday and received a nice note in return. But Shrinate highlighted the quick shift: “There was all that birthday cheer, and then, in just two days, America hits us with this massive attack on our interests.”
She lamented the impact on Indian industry and youth. “This hurts our global placements, career opportunities, and I regret that our Prime Minister can’t step up to protect our future. America keeps coming at us,” Shrinate added.
The controversy stems from Trump’s new presidential proclamation, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” which kicks in on September 21. It targets what the US administration sees as abuse in the H-1B program, mainly by IT outsourcing companies. Officials argue these firms bring in lower-wage workers, pushing out American graduates and keeping US wages down. They also flag national security risks, like visa fraud and money laundering tied to heavy H-1B users.
Under the rules, US employers now must show proof of paying the $100,000 fee when applying for H-1B visas. The State Department and Homeland Security will enforce it, with a few exemptions for cases vital to US national interests.
For India, this could disrupt the popular model where Indian software engineers work on-site in the US to save costs for tech firms. On the flip side, it might boost Global Capability Centers—those offshore hubs—in India, keeping more talent and jobs at home.
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