🚨 A sudden $100,000 one-time fee for each H-1B visa petition in the United States kicks in this weekend, and the tech world is buzzing.
What is the deal?
The White House clarified the fee applies per petition and is not an annual charge for workers. It will not affect current visa holders re-entering the country, but every new H-1B request now comes with a hefty tag.
Tech industry in alarm
Major firms like Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon have alerted H-1B employees to stay put in the U.S. Lawyers and companies urged travelers to return before the policy takes effect at midnight on Sunday.
Global reactions
India, which accounted for most U.S. H-1B approvals last year, warned the policy could disrupt families and hamper its 283 billion IT sector. The National Association of Software and Service Companies pointed out risks to onshore projects and global operations. South Korea's foreign ministry said it will study how the changes impact its companies and workers.
The big picture
This move marks the most visible step in the administration's tough stance on immigration and temporary work visas. With U.S. tech relying on skilled professionals from India and the Chinese mainland, many are watching to see how startups and big firms adapt to this new cost.
Stay tuned to see how this fee reshapes the talent race in tech! 🚀
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
