New Delhi, August 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) on Tuesday said it is actively engaging with all key stakeholders over the proposed sharp increase in H-1B visa fees in the US, while stressing that the programme was originally designed to address temporary skill shortages.
The industry body said the proposed fee hike should be viewed in the context of the H-1B programme’s purpose of providing access to temporary skilled workers where specific skills are in short supply in the US.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed an additional $103,265 fee on employers filing cap-subject H-1B petitions. The proposal is subject to a 30-day public comment period.
According to the administration, the fee is intended to recover costs associated with the immigration system and encourage US employers to hire and train American workers rather than rely on foreign labour.
Nasscom said the H-1B programme has played an important role in addressing short-term skill gaps in the US. It also highlighted the changing employment pattern of Indian technology companies.
“It is also important to recognise that, over the past 5 years, the number of H-1B employees of Indian technology companies operating has reduced significantly, as companies have steadily expanded local hiring,” the industry body said.
Nasscom added that the Indian technology industry has invested more than $1.1 billion in strengthening the US STEM pipeline. Its initiatives have involved more than 130 US universities and colleges, impacted 2.9 million students and upskilled more than 255,000 employees, according to its statement.
Under the proposed rule, the $103,265 fee would apply to every cap-subject H-1B petition, including petitions for applicants eligible under the advanced degree exemption. Employers would have to pay the amount when filing the petition, in addition to other applicable fees and payments.
DHS estimates that the measure could generate about $8.8 billion annually, based on an expected 85,000 cap-subject petitions each year. The funds would be used to recover part of the federal government’s costs of administering the legal immigration system, including immigration benefit adjudication, fraud detection, national security screening, government system modernisation and records management.
The annual H-1B allocation is capped at 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 places reserved for foreign nationals holding a master’s degree or higher qualification from a US institution.
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