U.S. President Donald Trump has hiked the H-1B visa sponsorship fee to a staggering $100,000 (₹90 lakh), marking an unprecedented hundredfold increase.
The decision, aimed at protecting American jobs, is expected to hit Indian IT professionals the hardest — as India accounts for 71% of all H-1B beneficiaries. China follows with 11%.
Trump defended the move, saying it would both safeguard opportunities for U.S. citizens and generate billions in revenue to fund tax cuts. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that the revised policy would ensure only “top-tier talent” gains entry into the U.S. workforce.
Markets reacted sharply. Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions, heavily reliant on H-1B workers, plunged nearly 5%, while Indian IT majors Infosys and Wipro saw their U.S.-listed stocks drop between 2% and 5%.
