How the White House's $100,000 H-1B visa fee is impacting America's ability to attract global talent
CBS News • • business
Key Points:
- Hyderabad, known as the Silicon Valley of India or "Cyberabad," hosts many major tech companies like Google and Facebook, attracting skilled Indian workers aiming to move to the U.S. via H-1B visas.
- In September 2025, the Trump administration introduced a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, significantly increasing costs from the previous $1,700 to $4,500 range, a move intended to protect American jobs.
- This fee has demoralized many Indian tech workers, such as Hameed Abdul, who now plan to move to countries like Canada and Australia with more accessible immigration policies.
- Immigration experts warn that the new fee threatens the U.S. tech sector's innovation by cutting off a vital pipeline of highly skilled Indian talent, which has historically fueled America's IT industry growth.
- Even former President Trump acknowledged the need to bring in foreign talent for certain skills, highlighting the challenge the U.S. faces in replacing this brainpower domestically.
