US President Donald Trump last Friday, Septermber 19, shook the tech industry by declaring a whooping fee hike for H1-B visas raising the cost up to $100,000—an almost 50-fold jump. The announcement triggered immediate chaos with Silicon Valley companies warning employees against leaving the country, international workers rushing to book flights, and immigration lawyers worked overtime to decode the order. On September 20, White House, however, clarified that the hike applied only to new applications and would be a one-time charge.

Nevertheless, the future of the H-1B programme— highly criticised for undercutting American workers but lauded for bringing in top global talent—remains uncertain. We look at how the new rules will impact Indian and Chinese workers and American industries.

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