World
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
H-1B Fee Hike To $103,265 To Hit Indian Workers Hardest
NDTV··25 Aug
DHS proposed raising the H-1B visa fee to $103,265, a move expected to hit Indian workers hardest since they get over 70 percent of all H-1B visas. Immigration firm Fragomen said a related $100,000 fee on F-1 student OPT applications is also under White House review. DHS separately proposed ending the 60-day grace period for unemployed H-1B workers.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you are an Indian professional on H-1B or planning to apply, both the fee hike and a possible OPT fee could raise your total cost of working in the US.
- Losing the 60-day grace period after job loss would mean less time to find new sponsorship, increasing pressure on Indian tech workers specifically.
- Families of the over 5.2 million people of Indian origin in the US may feel indirect effects if fee hikes reduce new visa sponsorships.
What's Happening
- DHS proposed raising the H-1B visa fee to $103,265, with Indian nationals holding 71 percent of approved H-1B petitions in 2024.
- Immigration firm Fragomen said a related $100,000 fee proposal on F-1 OPT applications is under White House Office of Management and Budget review.
- DHS separately proposed removing the 60-day grace period for unemployed H-1B workers, requiring quicker departure if sponsorship ends.
Why Indians Bear The Brunt Of This Rule
- USCIS approved 399,402 H-1B petitions in 2024, with Indian-born beneficiaries claiming the largest share at 71 percent.
- The H-1B program offers 65,000 visas annually plus 20,000 for advanced-degree holders, a cap unchanged even as fees have risen sharply.
- More than 5.2 million people of Indian origin live in the US, a community closely tied to the H-1B pipeline over recent decades.
all-newstop-stories
