02.10.2025, Washington.
The increase in the US H-1B visa fee targeting Indian specialists will not help “Make America Great Again” (MAGA), Rossa Primavera News Agency‘s India Desk wrote.
In September, US President Donald Trump’s administration announced that starting September 21, 2025, the US would impose a one-time fee of $100,000 for H-1B visa applications. Later, however, the administration clarified that the increased one-time fee applies only to new visa applications, while renewal fees for existing visas would remain unchanged.
Nevertheless, this still triggered a wave of panic within the Indian diaspora, causing mass returns. Indian companies happily rubbed their hands. Earlier, highly skilled professionals would move to the US, but now they will remain at home to make India great, not the US. In particular, Tech Mahindra, one of the companies most “affected” by changes in US policy, has already announced an increase in local hiring and the acceleration of investments in research centers in India.
Industry specialists point out that returning professionals not only fill local vacancies but also create new ones. Returnees bring with them international experience, connections, and a drive to launch new products, transforming India into a global innovation hub.
The actions of the USA have forced skilled migrants to consider destinations beyond India, such as Canada.
On September 27, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new proposals specifically designed to attract skilled workers “for whom the American dream is now too costly because of the $100,000 H-1B visa fee.” Carney emphasized that Canada intends to expedited entry to those affected by the new US rules..
IT industry experts interviewed by Reuters expect that if Trump’s visa restrictions remain unchanged, US companies will shift high-tech work related to artificial intelligence, product development, cybersecurity, and analytics to their global centers in India, preferring to keep strategic functions within the company rather than outsourcing them.
As a rule, when supply decreases (due to talent outflow to other countries), even with fixed demand, the price of the resource (salaries of skilled workers remaining in the country) rises. If Trump truly intends to expand domestic production, even more skilled professionals will be needed, further increasing demand. All these factors will lead to an even greater rise in wages within the industry.
In other words, the introduction of visa restrictions will increase the costs of US companies in hiring employees, which will clearly not contribute to the competitiveness of US goods and may hinder the goal of making America great again.
