Big Take Asia Trump’s H-1B Visa Fee Dashes Indian Workers’ American Dreams
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Oct 1, 2025 Sankalp Phartiyal, a Bloomberg reporter with keen insights into the tech landscape, explores the ramifications of Trump's new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. They discuss the disruption this causes for Indian workers, who make up 70% of H-1B recipients, and how this policy threatens their American dream. The conversation delves into the historical significance of H-1Bs, the urgent fears of visa holders, and the potential global talent shift as countries like Canada and Germany seek to attract dislocated tech professionals.
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Family's Last-Minute Rush Home
- Ayush and his wife hold H-1B visas and were visiting India when the $100,000 fee news hit, causing panic among holders.
- Ayush rushed to return and narrowly re-entered the U.S. before the policy change took effect on Sept 21st.
H-1B Fills Specialized Tech Gaps
- The H-1B was created to fill specialized labor shortages and allows up to six years of work with dual intent for green cards.
- The program uses an annual lottery and heavily serves the tech sector, particularly U.S. firms and Indian outsourcers.
H-1B's Big Payoff For Indian Engineers
- About 85,000 new H-1B visas are issued yearly and roughly 70% go to Indians, making the U.S. a major destination for Indian STEM talent.
- H-1B jobs pay far more in the U.S., enabling large remittances and savings when converted to rupees.