(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Hyderabad, India – K Kavitha, head of Telangana Jagruthi, slammed the US decision to hike H1B visa fees to a steep $100,000. She showed strong support for Indian workers hit by the change, especially those from the Telugu community, and warned that it could strain ties between the US and India.
Kavitha pointed out how Telugu software engineers and business leaders have boosted America’s tech scene. “Telugu people have helped build the US into a tech powerhouse,” she told . She called out recent moves by President Donald Trump as rushed reactions over the past few months.
The new rule targets folks with scientific skills who head to the US for jobs, Kavitha said. She urged affected workers to stay strong: “Have faith – something will turn up. We stand with you.” Kavitha stressed that sending talented Indians abroad strengthens global bonds, and this fee hike might hurt those relations.
The policy comes from a Trump proclamation that kicks in September 21. It slaps a $100,000 yearly fee on H1B visa applications to crack down on abuses, like IT firms accused of pushing out American workers and keeping wages low.
Indian workers dominate the H1B program. In fiscal year 2024, over 71% of H1B visa holders – that’s 283,397 approvals – hailed from India, per US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). China follows with about 12%.
Demand for US visas surged in 2023, with USCIS handling a record 10.97 million applications, up 21% from the year before. They approved 396,500 H1B petitions overall, making it the biggest chunk of non-immigrant worker visas.
Most H1B holders land in tech jobs. Big names like Amazon lead with 10,044 H1B employees, while Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, and Meta each employ over 5,000, according to the Employer Data Hub.
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