The United States’ newly introduced visa policy has created significant challenges for Indian citizens, who are the largest group of beneficiaries of skilled worker visas.
President Donald Trump’s administration has announced a sharp increase in the annual visa fee, raising it to $100,000, a move that experts believe could discourage thousands of Indians from pursuing career opportunities in the US.
According to official figures from 2024, a total of 399,395 H-1B visas were issued. Out of these, Indian citizens received 283,397 visas, making up nearly 72% of the total, which underscores India’s dominant share in the American skilled visa category.
This reliance highlights the heavy presence of Indian IT and technology professionals in the US job market. By comparison, China stood a distant second with 46,680 visas, while the rest of the world combined—including Pakistan—accounted for less than 1% of all H-1B allocations.
The introduction of the new visa fee is expected to alter this balance. Immigration experts warn that the $100,000 charge could prove to be prohibitive for many Indian applicants, particularly young professionals and mid-level workers who cannot afford such a significant financial burden.
This could reduce India’s long-standing dominance in the H-1B program and limit the influx of Indian talent into American companies, particularly in the technology and corporate sectors where they play a pivotal role.
For Indian professionals, the change represents more than just an economic hurdle—it threatens to reduce career opportunities and limit the pipeline of skilled workers to US firms.
While some well-established professionals or companies may be able to bear the additional costs, a large number of aspirants could be forced to reconsider their plans. The policy, therefore, has sparked concerns not only within India but also among American industries that have long relied on Indian expertise.
