President Donald Trump has signed an announcement to take a step of US $ 100,000 per annum H -1B visa fee, which will adversely affect Indian professionals in the US.
Trump on Friday ‘signed a ban on the entry of some non -immigrant workers on proclamation, stating that the misuse of the H -1B visa program is a “national security threat”.
Immigration lawyers and companies have asked H -1B visa holders or their family members to return to work outside the US within the next 24 hours or rejected the risk stuck in the US after the announcement was effective from 12:01 pm on 21 September.
Congress king Krishnamurthy described the decision to increase the H -1B visa fee, “The negligent efforts to cut the US from high -skilled workers who have long strengthened our workforce, have fuel innovation, and have helped to create employment industries to millions of Americans.”
On the Immigration Policy, President Joe Biden and former advisor to the Asian -American community leader Ajay Bhutoria warned of a possible crisis for a competitive increase in the US technology sector with Trump’s decision on H -1B visa fee.
“H -1B program, a lifeline for innovation that has attracted top talents from all over the world, currently encounters unprecedented obstacles with this mass jump from the current USD 2,000 -USD 5,000 total fee, which will depend on diverse talents to small businesses and startups,” he said.
Currently, the H -1B visa fee ranges from about 2,000 USD to US $ 5,000 depending on the size and other costs of the employer. H -1B visas, which are very popular among Indian technical professionals, are valid for three years and can be renewed for one and three years.
Trump’s decision will greatly affect Indian technology professionals who are hired by technical companies and others on H -1B visas.
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second largest beneficiary in 2025 with 5,505 approved H-1B visas, which is 5,505 approved H-1B visa in 2025. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloite (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523) and Tech Mahindra America (951).
In his proclamation, Trump said that the H-1B visa program was designed to bring temporary workers to the US, which was done to perform adorable, high-skilled tasks, but it has been exploited American workers with low-paying, low-efficient labor rather than supplement, instead of supplementation.
“The misuse of the H -1B program is also a national security threat. Domestic law enforcement agencies have identified and investigated H -1 B -Relatic outsourcing companies to engage in visa fraud, conspiracy to plot a conspiracy to conspiracy … and other illegal activities encouraged foreign workers to encourage foreign workers to come to America,” he said.
Trump said it is necessary to pay high costs on companies seeking to use H -1B program to address the misuse of that program, while still allows companies to keep the best temporary foreign workers at the best.
Whether the CEO of technology, who appoint foreign workers on H1-B visa, is concerned about the new move, Trump said they are going to be “very happy”.
Trump ordered that the USD Security Secretary H -1B will restrict decisions on petitions not with 100,000 payments for the workers, which are currently outside the US, after the effective date of proclamation for 12 months, which is September 21, 2025.
The Secretary of State will also issue guidance required and allowed by law, so that the employment starting before October 1, 2026, to prevent misuse of B Visa by foreign beneficiaries of approved H -1B petitions.
It said that the ban would not be applicable to any person or any company or those working in an industry, if it is determined that employing such individuals as H -1B to hire H -B is in national interest and is not a threat to the security or welfare of America.
Announcement said that IT firms have specifically manipulated the H -1B system, causing a lot of damage to American workers in computer -related areas.
Given that the IT workers increased from 32 percent in 2003 to an average over 65 percent in the last five financial years, the announcement said that some of the most vigilant H -1B employers are now continuously making it as outsourcing companies.
White House Employees Secretary Wil Sharf said that the H -1B non -migrant visa program is one of the “most misconduct” visa “systems in the country’s current immigration system, and it is considered to allow highly skilled laborers that work in areas that do not work in Americans, to come to the United States.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik said that historically, employment-based green card programs have been allowed to go to 281,000 people in a year, and on an average, they earned an average of $ 66,000 per year, and there was five times more likely to participate in government aid programs.
“So we were taking the bottom fourth, under the average American. It was irrational, the only country in the world that was taking in the lower fourth,” he said.
He said, “We are going to stop doing so. We are only taking extraordinary people very high, rather they are trying to work with Americans. They are going to make business and make employment for Americans. And this program will grow more than USD 100 billion for the United States Treasury.”
Asked whether the new fee will already be applicable to H -1B visa holders in the country, for renewal or for the first time to apply from abroad, Lutnik said, “Renewable, first, the company needs to decide. Is the person valuable to the government who is sufficient to pay 100,000 USD, or should he should go to the house and they should go to an American.”
If a company sponsors an employee for a green card, the visa can be renewed until permanent residence. However, Indians on the work visa in the US are caught waiting for a decades of a decades for a green card, and the new step may have an impact on whether they can continue to live in the US if their companies decide not to pay the annual USD 100,000 fee to maintain the visa.
Krishnamurthy said that many H -1B holders eventually become citizens and launch businesses that produce well -paying jobs in the US. “While other nations run to attract global talent, America must strengthen its workforce and modernize our immigration system – not to create obstacles that weaken our economy and security,” he said.
Bhutoria said that this step would remove skilled professionals who provide electricity to Silicon Valley and contribute Arabs to the American economy.
Khandrao Kand of Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies said that H -1B visa fee is an “very unfortunate” policy, which has a major negative impact on businesses, especially software and technical industry.
In July, USCIS stated that it has received sufficient petitions for the Congress, for the Financial Year 2026, for the 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and 20,000 H-1B visa US Advanced Degree, known as the Master’s Cap.
The ban on entry will only apply to individuals who try to enter or enter the United States after September 21, 2025.
New York -based Immigration Attorney Attorney Cyrus Mehta said in a post on X, “H -1B visa holders who are out of America on business or holiday are stuck until before midnight of September 21.
Mehta said, “There may still be a way for the H -1B visa holder, which is in India to reach California before midnight of 21 September, 2025.”
Social media users posted excerpts from an internal email by Microsoft, who asked their employees on H-1B visas and their dependents to avoid traveling outside the US and return immediately before the September 21 deadline.
Trump also signed an executive order called ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa route for people committed to support the United States.
Under the Gold Card Program, individuals who can pay a US Treasury 1 million USD, or a 2 million USD. If a corporation is sponsoring them, rapid visa treatment and a route for a green card will get access to a route.
