Revised H-1B Fee: Sources say it’s only for new applicants

Sources reveal that the revised H-1B fee is only applicable to new applicants and won’t affect renewals.

A White House official told a leading portal that, in a significant relief for Indians currently on H-1B visas, the new $100,000 fee will apply only to the next upcoming lottery cycle, not to existing holders or renewals.

A significant relief for Indians in the revised H-1B fee.

Companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon have asked their H-1B and H-4 visa holder employees not to leave the country for at least 14 days and to return to the government for those already outside the country. Amid a fresh crackdown on immigration, US President Donald Trump made a significant overhaul to the H-1B visa programme and signed a proclamation to increase the visa free. It is said that this move may affect Indian tech companies and skilled professionals. Trump said that the H-1B visa programme was created to bring “temporary workers into the US to perform additive, high-skilled functions, but it has been deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labour.”

Foreign Ministry’s statement on the matter.

The Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement, in response  “The full implications of the measure are being studied by all concerned, including by Indian industry, which has already put out an initial analysis clarifying some perceptions related to the H1B programme.” It highlighted that both India and the US have a stake in “innovation and creativity” and two sides can be expected to “consult on the best path forward.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the move and said that the policy would discourage companies from hiring foreign workers. He explained, “So the whole idea is, no more will these big tech companies or other big companies train foreign workers. They have to pay the government $100,000, then they have to pay the employee. So, it’s just not economic. You’re going to train somebody. You’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land, train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs. That’s the policy here. $100,000 a year for H-1B visas.”