PERM suspension does not automatically affect existing H-1B visas: MEA

October 9, 2026 1:50 PM

PERM suspension does not automatically affect existing H-1B visas: MEA

India has expressed concern over the US Department of Labor's decision concerning the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme for certain companies, stating that the move does not advance the shared ambitions of the two countries. In a statement, India clarified that PERM is distinct from the H-1B visa programme. The suspension of PERM applications does not, by itself, affect the validity of existing H-1B visas or the status of H-1B visa holders and their dependents, though there could b...

Trump extends push for $100,000 H-1B visas by another year

September 19, 2026 7:39 AM

Trump extends push for $100,000 H-1B visas by another year

President Donald Trump has extended an executive order that would impose a fee of $100,000 for H-1B non-immigrant visas by another year, the White House said on Friday. US employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government's H-1B visa program for a fee, allowing tech and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years. Trump, who has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, has criticized the program and wants to permanently raise ...

Silicon Valley hiring in turmoil after new H-1B visa fees, move spurs offshoring talk

September 23, 2025 4:13 PM

Silicon Valley hiring in turmoil after new H-1B visa fees, move spurs offshoring talk

The Trump administration's hefty new visa fees for H-1B workers have prompted high-level talks inside companies in Silicon Valley and beyond on the possibility of moving more jobs overseas - precisely the outcome the policy was meant to stop. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday announced the change to the visa program that has long been a recruitment pathway for tech firms and encouraged international students to pursue postgraduate courses in the United States. While the $100,000 levy appli...

US new H-1B visa fee will not apply to existing holders, White House says

September 21, 2025 12:26 PM

US new H-1B visa fee will not apply to existing holders, White House says

A new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas in the United States that goes into effect on Sunday will be levied per petition and will not be applied to existing visa holders re-entering the country, the White House said on Saturday. "This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X on Saturday. A petition is a request by a company to bring a skilled worker from another country into the United States. FEE O...

Trump sides with Elon Musk in H-1B visa debate, says he’s always been in favor of the program

December 29, 2024 10:00 AM

Trump sides with Elon Musk in H-1B visa debate, says he’s always been in favor of the program

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday sided with key supporter and billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk in a public dispute over the use of the H-1B visa, saying he fully backs the program for foreign tech workers opposed by some of his supporters. Trump's remarks followed a series of social media posts from Musk, the CEO of Tesla TSLA.O and SpaceX, who vowed late Friday to go to "war" to defend the visa program for foreign tech workers. Trump, who moved to limit the visas' use during his first p...