New Delhi: Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on Saturday warned that President Donald Trump’s decision to raise the annual H-1B visa fee to USD 100,000 will stifle innovation in the US while accelerating it in India by driving the next wave of patents, labs and startups to cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
The Trump administration has defended the steep hike, saying it is meant to ensure that only “very highly skilled” workers enter the US and do not displace American jobs.
“Trump’s USD 100,000 H-1B fee will choke U.S. innovation and turbocharge India’s. By shutting out global talent, America is pushing the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurugram. India’s best doctors, engineers, scientists and innovators now have an opportunity to power India’s growth and progress towards #ViksitBharat. America’s loss will be India’s gain,” Kant wrote on X.
On Friday, Trump signed a proclamation imposing the fee, the latest in his administration’s efforts to tighten immigration rules. While companies sponsoring H-1B applicants will bear the cost, the move could significantly affect Indian professionals working in the US.
