US President Donald Trump’s decision to raise the annual fee for H-1B visa to $100,000 will prove to be the country’s loss and India’s gain, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said on Saturday.
The move appears to slam the door on global talent and will only help generate the “next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon”, he added.
The former G-20 Sherpa’s remarks came hours after Trump signed a proclamation restricting entry of certain non-immigrant workers and imposing a staggering annual $100,000 fee on visas used by companies to hire workers, including from India, to live and work in the US.
“Donald Trump’s 100,000 H-1B fee will choke U.S. innovation, and turbocharge India’s. By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon,” Mr Kant said in a post on X.
“India’s finest Doctors, engineers, scientists, innovators have an opportunity to contribute to India’s growth & progress towards #ViksitBharat. America’s loss will be India’s gain,” he added.
Donald Trump’s 100,000 H-1B fee will choke U.S. innovation, and turbocharge India’s. By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon . India’s finest Doctors, engineers,…
— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) September 20, 2025
According to the US President, it is necessary to impose higher costs on companies seeking to use the H-1B programme in order to address the abuse of that programme while still permitting companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers.
“Some employers, using practices now widely adopted by entire sectors, have abused the H-1B statute and its regulations to artificially suppress wages, resulting in a disadvantageous labour market for American citizens, while at the same time making it more difficult to attract and retain the highest skilled subset of temporary workers, with the largest impact seen in critical science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields,” he said.
The Trump administration said the $100,000 fee is aimed at ensuring that the people being brought into the country are “actually very highly skilled” and do not replace American workers.
H-1B visas are valid for three years and can be renewed for another three years.
The US President also signed an executive order entitled ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa pathway for foreigners of extraordinary ability who are committed to supporting the country.
Under the Gold Card programme, individuals who can pay $100,000 to the US Treasury, or $200,000 if a corporation is sponsoring them, will get access to expedited visa treatment and a path to a Green Card in the country.