‘A blessing in disguise’: H-1B visa fee hike sparks concerns among Indian students

In a move adversely impacting Indian students and professionals, US president Donald Trump has signed a proclamation that has increased the fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 annually. However, the fee application is only valid for individuals seeking to opt for the new H-1B status.

Notably, the order will not apply to future extensions, transfers, or renewals for H-1B visa workers already in the United States and is set to expire in one year unless extended.

People have shared mixed reactions to the H-1B visa fee hike. Some of them called it ‘a bad move’, while others think it was a ‘blessing in disguise’.

A user said on X: “H-1B are not critical to India but to US. I would love your country to end all diplomatic relations with India, ban all visas & any other trade ties with India and exit our country since you all consider it a shit hole and take all your businesses out of it. Win-Win.”

“I'm not certain, but I can tell you my company has several H1B people from India. Now we're getting a lot of spears whisking email very directed at people within the organization that only somebody on the inside would know,” another user posted on X.

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‘Most abused visa’: H-1B

Furthermore, the White House staff secretary Will Scharf said the H-1B visa is one of the ‘most abused visas ’ in the US immigration system. It was originally meant to bring in highly skilled workers for jobs that Americans don’t usually do. Trump administration explained that the $100,000 fee is meant to make sure only truly skilled workers are brought in, and to prevent them from taking jobs away from American workers.

According to the NDTV media reports, there was panic on the India-bound Emirates flight after the US President announced a hike in the application fee for the H-1B worker visa. Many Indian passengers worried they might not be able to return to the US, so they got off the plane just before it was about to take off, causing a delay of around three hours. A passenger on the flight shared videos on social media showing people leaving the aircraft in fear.

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H-1B visa fee hike

On the impact of the H-1B visa fee hike, the director of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, V Kamakoti, said: "I see this as a blessing in disguise and we must thank President Trump for it. We must take full advantage of this.

He adds: “The impact is two-fold -one, the students who go from here with an aspiration to work there might not go now, and as a director of IIT-Madras, I am happy that they will continue in India.

Kamakoti also said that India has many research opportunities. Indian students who want to study in the US can choose to stay in India and still make a difference. At IIT-Madras, in the last 5 years, only about 5% of students have gone abroad. The strong desire to go to the US isn’t there anymore.

Whatsoever, a few others were seen criticising the IIT Madras director's statement.

A user posted on X. “If they can’t go abroad, what will be the craze for IIT then?”

While a few of them were seen praising his statement. “He is right, our innovative and talented young players have a good opportunity here to start up their own enterprises or join big Indian companies to enhance the Indian economy, which is going on a very fast way, then no one will call the Indian economy a dead economy, the US's dream will dry down,” another user posted on X.