Saturday, March 29, 2025
Washington, October 10, 2025 — After sharply raising the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 earlier this year, the Trump administration is now preparing to introduce additional restrictions on who can qualify for the program and how U.S. companies may use it.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed new rules that would redefine eligibility criteria for applicants and impose tighter conditions on American employers sponsoring foreign workers. These changes are expected to significantly impact Indian professionals, who make up nearly 70% of all H-1B recipients.
If finalized, the rules will directly decide:
Who is eligible to receive an H-1B visa.
How companies can use these visas for employment.
Which categories of workers qualify under the program.
With the fee hike to $100,000 (₹80 lakh) per application, the financial burden of securing an H-1B visa has already hit Indian applicants the hardest. Most beneficiaries of this visa program traditionally come from India and China, with Indians forming the largest share.
Now, additional rules would further restrict access, creating major obstacles for Indian tech workers, students, and professionals seeking employment in the United States.
The H-1B program was created under the 1990 Immigration Act to allow U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers in areas where domestic talent was scarce. Each year, the program issues 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for individuals holding advanced degrees from U.S. universities. Certain universities and non-profit organizations are also exempt from the cap.
According to a Pew Research Center study, by 2023 nearly three-quarters of H-1B visa holders were Indian nationals. Since 2012, about 60% of H-1B workers have been employed in computer-related occupations, while others entered fields like healthcare, finance, and academia.
The Trump administration has repeatedly argued that the H-1B program is misused by outsourcing firms and undermines opportunities for American workers. By tightening eligibility rules and imposing high costs, Trump aims to discourage over-reliance on foreign talent, especially from India.
For Indian workers and companies reliant on the U.S. market, however, these measures represent another major setback, threatening career prospects, economic opportunities, and the flow of talent between the two countries.
