Major companies like Meta and Microsoft met on Saturday morning and urged all their H-1B visa holders not to leave the US, at least for 14 days. This came after Trump announced a new crackdown on immigrants and imposed limits on legal immigration.
Internal emails obtained by NDTV Profit showed that the companies also encouraged employees currently outside the US to return within 24 hours to avoid being denied re-entry. The emails asked foreign workers to follow these guidelines for the “foreseeable future.”
Meta and Microsoft advise H-1B visa holders to not leave US
Meta advised H-1B visa holders and those with H4 status to remain in the US for at least two weeks till they understand the situation better. It also asked employees living outside the US to consider returning within 24 hours.
Microsoft strongly requested that its employees in the US stay where they are to avoid denial of re-entry. It also encouraged workers outside the country to do their best to return.
Trump impose $100,000 fees on H-1B visa holders
The H-1B visa program in the US is for individuals working in specialty occupations, often in the technology sector. This includes jobs like software engineers, tech program managers, and other IT professionals. These visas last for three years and can be renewed for another three years.
On Friday, President Trump raised the annual fee for the H-1B visa for high-tech foreign workers to $100,000. This change will mainly affect Indians hired by tech firms like Microsoft. While signing the proclamation at the White House, Trump said that the goal is to hire American workers. The administration aims to protect American jobs while ensuring companies can still bring in “truly extraordinary people” to the US.
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