Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee sparks panic among Indian professionals abroad

Indians account for over 70% of H-1B visa approvals, highlighting their disproportionate impact

- MPOST BUREAU

A sudden policy shift from the Trump administration has thrown thousands of Indian professionals into turmoil, with many abandoning family gatherings and cutting short long-planned trips in a rush to return to the United States.

The uproar began late Friday when President Donald Trump announced an annual $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, a move that particularly alarmed Indians, who make up the majority of recipients under the programme.

Within hours, major technology companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, instructed employees on overseas trips to return to the US by Saturday morning. The abrupt orders sent many H-1B visa holders scrambling for flights, leaving weddings, vacations, and family visits incomplete. Social media platforms soon filled with personal accounts of confusion and distress.

A Reddit user identifying herself as "Saramuch" described her ordeal, "You didn't have to see my mom crying because she was about to see me for the first time in months, and we had planned a week together after years. It's unfair. We didn't deserve it." She added that the emotional toll of the announcement had been immense, with families torn apart and milestones missed.

The panic highlighted the deep links between India and the H-1B system. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Indians have consistently received more than 70 per cent of H-1B approvals each year since 2015. Chinese nationals, at roughly 12 to 13 per cent since 2018, trail far behind.

Between October 2022 and September 2023 alone, 72 per cent of nearly 400,000 H-1B visas issued went to Indian nationals.

Four Indian IT giants-Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HCL Technologies, and Wipro-secured nearly 20,000 approvals during the same period.

For many of their employees, the Trump announcement threatened to upend careers and lives built around the temporary work permit.