H-1B Visa Fee in the US rise to $100,000… Trump Gold Card launched… Indian IT professionals hit hard, with major companies Turning to Outsourcing.
Washington DC : Ever since US President Donald Trump came to power for the second time, there has been a stir in the entire world… Trump, who considers himself the biggest strongman in the world, has once again taken a decision which is going to have a direct impact on India. The American President signed an executive order at the White House on September 19, increasing the application fee for H-1B Visa to $100,000, or approximately ₹88 lakh.
Difference between before and now?
Previously, the fee for going to America to look for work ranged from $460 to $4,500, including premium processing and other fee. Trump has now increased it to $100,000. This will significantly impact the pockets of those travelling to the US. These changes are intended to prevent overuse of the H-1B program and prioritise American workers. The changes will take effect on September 21st.
Trump Gold Card Launched.
Additionally, the US administration has launched the Trump Gold Card program, which grants unlimited residency in the United States for a fee of $1 million. This card will replace the EB-1 (extraordinary ability) and EB-2 (advanced degree) visa programs. Gold Card holders will enjoy the same benefits as US citizens, except for voting rights and passport rights. The card, valued at $2 million, will allow companies to sponsor employees. Applications require a $15,000 waiting fee, or ₹1.25 million, and rigorous security checks. Registration has begun on the website trumpcard.gov.
Program for rich foreigners – Trump
Donald Trump said, “This program is for rich foreigners so that they can live and work in America by paying 1 million dollars… We will give visas only to talented people who do not snatch jobs from Americans”. US Commerce Minister Howard Lutnick said that initially 80,000 Gold Cards will be issued which will earn 100 billion dollars for America. This amount will be used for tax cuts and repaying government debt. Lutnick stressed that companies should trained American Graduates and not foreigners.
Impact on Indian IT Professionals
India is the biggest beneficiary of the H-1B Visa… Indians accounted for 71% of H-1B visas approved in the first half of 2025, while China ranked second at 11.7%. Companies like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Cognizant, and HCL sponsor thousands of employees each year. Amazon received 12,000 H-1B approvals, Microsoft and Meta received over 5,000.
Companies will face additional burden
Trump’s new program will impose an additional burden of crores on companies, especially startups and small firms. This will make it difficult for mid-level and entry-level Indian engineers to obtain visas. Companies may increase outsourcing or turn to countries like Canada, UK & UAE. According to White House Staff Secretary Will Sharp, the H-1B has been misused and will now only be available to highly skilled workers. The discontinuation of the EB category from the Gold Card will impact the Green Card route for high-skilled Indian professionals, but this will benefit wealthy investors. Millions of engineers from India migrate to the US annually, but now Europe and Canada will become the centers of attraction.
https://shorturl.fm/XTFUF
https://shorturl.fm/t9um3
https://shorturl.fm/hcl3w
https://shorturl.fm/zCoTL