Trump administration proposes hike in H-1B visa application fee; Indian IT firms may be hit

08 May 2019 Evaluate

US Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta told US lawmakers that the Trump administration is proposing a hike in the H-1B visa application fee to raise funds for the expansion of an apprentice programme which trains American youth for technology sector jobs.

However, Acosta did not give details of the proposed increase in H-1B filing fee and as to which categories of applicants it would be enforced on. But given past experience, he felt that IT service companies based in India, which account for a large number of H-1B applications, are likely to face the additional financial burden because of this proposed increase in H-1B filing fees. Acosta also told lawmakers that the Labour Department has made changes to the H-1B application forms to ensure greater transparency and better protect American workers from employers seeking to misuse the programme.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
  

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