India, US in Talks to Mitigate Impact of H-1B Visa Fee Hike

The US government is set to implement a sharp hike in H-1B visa fees, with the application cost increasing to $100,000 from the current range of $2,000 to $5,000. The change, announced by US President Donald Trump, is scheduled to take effect on September 21. India is in discussions with the US administration, the IT industry, and Nasscom to find a way to minimize the impact on US companies that rely heavily on H-1B visas to bring in high-skilled workers.

Key Takeaways:

• The US government has increased the H-1B visa application fee to $100,000, effective September 21.
• India's IT industry, led by Nasscom, is engaging with the US government and US companies to find a path forward.
• Top US companies, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Google, rely heavily on H-1B visas to bring in high-skilled workers.
• Indian IT companies, including TCS, Infosys, and HCL America, also feature in the top 20 H-1B visa approvals in the US.
• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released figures showing that for FY25, up to June 30, 2025, Amazon had the highest number of H-1B approvals at 10,044.
• Indian companies, such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys, have secured significant H-1B approvals, with TCS ranked second and Infosys ranked 14th.
• The hike in visa fees is expected to hit US companies hard, with many being primary users of H-1B visas.

Statistics:

• The new H-1B visa application fee is $100,000, a significant increase from the current $2,000 to $5,000.
• Amazon has secured 10,044 H-1B approvals for FY25, up to June 30, 2025.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has secured 5,505 H-1B approvals, ranking second in the list.
• Infosys has secured 2,004 H-1B approvals, ranking 14th in the list.
• HCL America has secured 1,728 H-1B approvals, featuring in the top 20 list.

Sources:

• PTI (Press Trust of India)
• US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
• US President Donald Trump's proclamation