New Delhi, India — Meghna Gupta, now 29, had ambitions of obtaining a master’s degree by 23 and migrating to the United States before turning 30. Despite putting in extensive hours at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT firm, her plans have been disrupted by changes to the H-1B visa program initiated by the Trump administration.
The administration’s decision to raise fees for H-1B visas—ranging from approximately $2,000 to as high as $100,000—has imposed significant financial burdens on companies that sponsor these visas. This change alters the baseline cost for employers, where a minimum salary of $60,000 for H-1B workers now escalates to $160,000 when including the new fees. This makes hiring foreign talent less economically viable compared to local candidates.
Historically, Indian IT firms have been the largest sponsors of H-1B visas, but this dynamic is shifting. In 2014, seven of the ten largest H-1B visa recipients were Indian firms; by 2024, this number had fallen to four, with TCS being the only Indian company among the top ten recipients in the first half of 2025, as American firms like Amazon and Microsoft dominate the list.
In 2024, over 70 percent of H-1B visas were granted to Indian nationals, with a smaller share allocated to Chinese nationals. The new fee increases have led many skilled professionals in India to fear that their aspirations for work in the U.S. may not materialize.
As thousands contemplate their future, data suggests a significant increase in the outflow of skilled professionals from India, which rose from approximately 94,000 in 2020 to nearly 349,000 by 2024. The visa fee hike follows a decline in the U.S.-India relationship amid other trade tensions.
Experts indicate that sectors heavily employing Indian professionals, such as IT and software development, will be most affected. Many argue that U.S. employers may now opt for local hires, pushing routine work back to India, and potentially limiting opportunities for skilled workers in the U.S.
Indian officials have suggested that this situation presents a chance for the country to curb the brain drain, but experts note the challenges that returning professionals may face. The current state of India’s job market in technology may not offer the same scope for innovation as that found in the U.S., leading many to reconsider their career trajectories.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/9/29/cruel-joke-how-indian-h-1b-dreams-are-crash-landing-after-trump-fee-hike?traffic_source=rss