The United States H-1B visa programme has long been a key gateway for Indian professionals seeking employment in American technology firms, with Indians consistently forming the largest group of applicants under this scheme. However, the programme has now come under renewed scrutiny following US President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing a steep hike in annual visa fees. The new directive mandates an increase in the H-1B fee to $100,000, a dramatic jump from the earlier range of $2,000 to $5,000.
This sudden escalation is expected to hit Indian IT companies and professionals the hardest, given their dominant share in H-1B visa usage. Industry leaders in India have already expressed alarm over both the timing of the measure and the magnitude of its impact, warning that such a move could severely disrupt the established flow of high-skilled workers into the US technology sector.
In India, the political response to the development was swift and pointed. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a sharp criticism of the Modi government, linking the fee hike to the government’s own claims about India’s economic rise. Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, speaking with marked sarcasm, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated invocation of “Amritkaal,” a term meant to symbolize a golden era of prosperity and global recognition for the country. Bharadwaj quipped that this was now the perfect opportunity for Indian IT professionals working in the United States to return home and experience “Amritkaal” firsthand.
He added that those who had earlier believed Modi had elevated India from the “bottom to the top” should now come back and test the reality of India’s so-called global leadership. Extending his jibe, Bharadwaj said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should thank the Trump administration for allowing Indian professionals to witness this golden period directly.
Industry stakeholders, meanwhile, are deeply concerned about the policy’s practical implications. Nasscom, India’s premier IT industry association, issued a formal response highlighting the serious challenges the decision poses. The organization pointed out that the hike leaves companies with only a single day—until 12:01 am on September 21—to comply with the new rule, offering no transition period to adapt. According to Nasscom, this abrupt timeline, coupled with the unprecedented jump in costs, would create immense difficulties for Indian IT firms that rely on H-1B visas to place skilled talent in the US.
The body warned that such restrictive measures could have ripple effects beyond India, potentially undermining America’s own innovation ecosystem, weakening its competitive edge, and affecting the broader job market. Nasscom emphasized that high-skilled workers are central to driving research, innovation, and economic growth in the United States, and that policies discouraging their participation could be counterproductive in the long run.
