New Delhi has warned that the hike could have “humanitarian consequences”
Stunned Indian employees rushed to get tickets to the US, while others tried getting off planes at American airports after US President Donald Trump’s sudden announcement of a $100,000 work visa fee, according to local media.
An executive order signed by Trump on Friday introduced the annual applicant fee for H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers. Over 70% of them are issued to professionals from the world’s most populous country.
The order stated that the fee hike was needed to stop the “abuse” of the program by some companies, which allegedly use it to suppress wages and sideline Americans job applicants. “We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that is what is going to happen,” the president said.
Until now, payments for H-1B visas ranged from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the size of the employer and other costs; 85,000 such permits are granted every year. The new $100,000 fee came into effect at midnight on Saturday (0400 GMT on Sunday).
Companies like Microsoft, JPMorgan and Amazon reacted to the executive order by advising their employees on H-1B visas to remain in the US, and those who were abroad to return to America before the deadline, Reuters said.
On Saturday, The Times of India reported that people were scrambling to buy tickets to the US. All nine direct flights to America on Saturday and early Sunday were nearly sold out, despite the price of a one-way economy class ticket reaching $1,200, it said.
Inside the US, Indian workers tried “frantically, but unsuccessfully” to de-board planes at airports after learning about the new H-1B visa rules, according to the outlet. Reports on social media claimed that some flights had to be delayed due to chaos caused by Trump’s move.
The Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the visa fee hike is “likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families.”
“Industry in both India and the US has a stake in innovation and creativity and can be expected to consult on the best path forward,” the statement read.
