India expresses concern as Trump plan would raise H-1B visa fees

WASHINGTON — The Indian government on Saturday voiced concern about President Donald Trump’s latest move to reshape U.S. immigration policy, notably the plan to raise fees for H-1B visas that bring tech workers from India and other countries to the United States. The proclamation would require a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visas, a sharp departure from the current $215 base, and it would introduce a $1 million gold-card visa for wealthy individuals with a path to citizenship. Officials said the measures face likely legal challenges and are seen as part of a broader effort to curb immigration. If enacted and sustained, the changes would dramatically increase the cost of sponsoring high-skilled workers.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Saturday the plan is being studied by all concerned, including Indian industry, and warned the measure could have humanitarian consequences by disrupting families. The government expressed hope that the disruptions could be addressed by U.S. authorities. H-1B visas, which generally require at least a bachelor’s degree, are used by tech companies to fill hard-to-staff roles. Critics say the program undercuts American workers by allowing foreign workers to accept lower wages, although advocates say the visas fill skill gaps and complement U.S. innovation.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said during a conference call that all big companies are on board with the plan. He argued the new pricing would deter outsourcing and ensure companies train Americans. If you’re going to train people, you’re going to train Americans, he said, and for a highly skilled engineer you can pay about $100,000 a year for your H-1B visa. In addition to the H-1B change, the administration introduced a gold-card visa with a path to U.S. citizenship for $1 million and a platinum-card option for $5 million that would allow foreigners to spend time in the United States with fewer tax considerations on non-U.S. income. The gold-card and platinum-card proposals are described as replacements for employment-based visas that provide paths to citizenship for professors, scientists, artists and athletes, though officials noted the platinum-card would require congressional approval.

Reaction to the plan was mixed among immigration critics. U.S. Tech Workers, an advocacy group, said the latest move represents the next best thing to abolishing the program. Doug Rand, a former senior official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the proposal is ludicrously lawless and that it amounts to fan service for immigration restrictionists, noting that the proclamation calls for a Labor Department rulemaking to revise prevailing wage levels under the visa program.

Historically, H-1B visas have been allotted through a lottery. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient of H-1B visas with more than 10,000 awards, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple and Google. Geographically, California has the highest number of H-1B workers. Critics say many awards go to entry-level roles rather than senior positions with unique skill requirements, and some firms contract workers through third-party providers to reduce wages. As a result, many U.S. companies rely on contracting arrangements with foreign workers sourced from India and placed at U.S. employers, sometimes through firms such as Wipro, Infosys, HCL Technologies and Tata.

Some observers argue for reforms that would replace the lottery with an auction in which companies compete for the right to hire foreign workers at higher wages. The AFL-CIO and other labor groups have called for more comprehensive changes. Advocates warned that the administration’s latest actions skirt congressional process, though officials indicated regulatory steps would be pursued to revise wage standards and eligibility. The changes, if implemented and sustained through courts or Congress, could reshape the U.S. tech hiring landscape for years to come.

The government of India said it would continue monitoring the situation and work with U.S. authorities to address humanitarian concerns, stressing that disruptions to workers and their families should be minimized. Officials noted the United States has been a major destination for Indian tech talent and said any shifts would have implications for bilateral relations and the flow of skilled labor.