MAGA at the cost of India

The astronomic H-1B visa fee hike President Trump promulgated on Friday has for now handed a victory to hardline sections in the ‘Make America Great Again (MAGA) campaign, Independent of speculation over the duration of the hike and whether the move can survive legal challenges, the announcement has sown needless confusion around the technology sector, with Microsoft, Amazon and JP Morgan, among others, scrambling to put out relevant advice to their employees.

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The timing of the decision is especially significant for New Delhi, as the hefty $100,000 application fee for this non-immigrant category visa is expected to disadvantage Indian firms, its predominant beneficiaries. The step comes close on the heels of the doubling of tariffs in late August on exports from the country to 50 per cent, among the highest in the world, in retaliation against New Delhi’ imports of Russian oil. Another move that will pile pressure on India is the Halting International Relocation of Employment (HIRE) Act 2025, a private member bill recently tabled in the Senate that targets American firms deploying overseas workers. The bill seeks to impose a 25% tax on businesses for the payments they make to foreign workers for ser