US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday that sets a new annual application fee of $100,000 for H-1B visas. This change will affect Indian workers, who make up most of the beneficiaries.
Trump’s proclamation charge $100,000 every year on H-1 B Visa
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced the increase, stating that companies will now need to pay $100,000 every year for each visa. “A hundred thousand dollars a year for H-1B visas, and all of the big companies are on board. We’ve spoken to them,” Lutnick said.
He also mentioned that the policy intends to prioritize US graduates. “If you’re going to teach somebody, teach one of the recent graduates from one of our great universities. Teach Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs.” This proclamation marks one of the significant changes to the program for highly skilled foreign workers since it was created in 1990.
India accounts for Most H-1 B Visa
The H-1B system is widely used by US technology companies to fill positions in science, engineering, and math. It has faced criticism from Trump and his supporters as a means to lower American wages.
According to official data, India accounted for 71 percent of all approved H-1B visa recipients, while China comprised 11.7 %. H-1B visas are usually granted for periods ranging from 3 to 6 years.
The US issues 85,000 H-1B visas each year through a lottery system. This year, Amazon received the highest number, with over 10,000 approvals, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple, and Google. California has the largest concentration of H-1B workers, according to USCIS.
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