US plans $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Spur Skilled Worker Exodus Concerns

Shreya Mishra Reddy, an Indian-born technical program manager at Visa, has struggled to secure an H-1B visa despite three attempts, exacerbated by the Trump administration's imposition of a $100,000 fee for employers sponsoring new H-1B petitions. This fee increase has led her to consider leaving the U.S., highlighting the broader challenges faced by skilled foreign workers seeking to remain employed in America. Hospitals and medical societies have urged the White House to exempt healthcare workers from this fee, emphasizing the crucial role of foreign professionals in filling critical staffing shortages in the healthcare sector. Critics argue that while the H-1B program has been abused by some employers, it remains essential for addressing skill shortages in STEM fields and healthcare. Furthermore, some commentators caution against viewing the H-1B fee hike as a blow to Indian talent, stressing that the program is a U.S. labor policy and India's growth should rely on its own innovation rather than dependence on American visas. These developments have sparked debate over immigration policy, workforce needs, and the future of foreign skilled labor in the United States.