Trump’s $100K H-1B Fee: India Warns of Humanitarian Crisis – India–USA Update

The panel featured Gaurav Dutta, Entrepreneur, Had H-1B for 6 Years; Kunal Jain, Entrepreneur, Was on H-1B, Now a US Citizen; and Sapan Shah, H-1B Applicant, Currently in America. All three highlighted how the abrupt fee hike, effective September 21, threatens thousands of Indian tech workers—who comprise nearly 70% of H-1B holders—by making travel or new applications prohibitively expensive.

Shah described panic among applicants and employees abroad, with companies like Microsoft and Amazon warning staff not to leave the US. Dutta recalled the already difficult process and decades-long green card waits, while Jain emphasized the shortage of equally skilled American workers and predicted pushback from US tech giants.

The panel agreed that India must strengthen its own education system and job market to reduce dependence on foreign opportunities. They also noted that higher costs may push many skilled Indians to return home, potentially reducing “brain drain” over time.

Host Zaffar Iqbal concluded that while the situation creates immediate chaos for families and businesses, it may ultimately drive talent back to India, offering the country a chance to harness its own skilled workforce.