US Imposes $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas, Hits Indian IT Sector Hard

US President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order imposing a hefty $100,000 (approximately ₹88 lakh) surcharge on every professional applying for an H-1B visa. This new fee will be in effect for 12 months with the possibility of extension. The move significantly impacts Indian IT firms such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra, all of whom annually send thousands of professionals to the US on H-1B visas while simultaneously reducing their American workforce. For example, one Indian IT company received over 5,000 H-1B visas in 2025 but laid off 15,000 US employees during the same period. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has expressed concern, stating it is closely studying the potential adverse human and economic effects and is consulting stakeholders to mitigate the impact, emphasizing the importance of ongoing India-US industrial cooperation.