Indian H-1B Visa Aspirations Shattered by Trump Fee Increase

Meghna Gupta had long dreamed of settling in the US—earning a master’s degree, gaining work experience in India, and moving to America before turning 30. Working at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), she expected a promotion leading to a US posting. But those hopes collapsed after a new US policy increased H-1B visa fees from $2,000 to $100,000, making it costly for companies to hire foreign talent.

This change targets reducing dependence on immigrant workers and encouraging American companies to hire locally. While Indian professionals were the largest H-1B recipients, the new rules may shut down this long-standing path to the US, particularly affecting the IT sector.

The impact is significant: India has seen a sharp rise in skilled professionals moving abroad, especially in tech and medicine. With the US now less accessible, some Indian experts believe it could curb brain drain. Indian IT firms might shift more work offshore, leading to greater reliance on teams based in India.

However, returning to India poses challenges—salaries and opportunities often don’t match what professionals are used to abroad. Some, like Ansh, a software engineer at Meta, now feel uncertain about their future in the US despite securing positions. Many are considering alternative countries rather than returning home due to better innovation ecosystems elsewhere.

These developments have sparked worry and reevaluation among Indian professionals and students, signaling a major shift in global career dynamics and mobility.

H-1B visa, Indian IT professionals, US immigration policy, skilled migration, Tata Consultancy Services