Nasscom urges member cos to bring H-1B staff back to US as visa fee hike deadline looms

New Delhi, Sep 20 (PTI) Nasscom has urged its member companies to urgently get their H-1B employees who are currently outside America, to return to the US, amid the tight one-day countdown to visa fee hike implementation, Shivendra Singh, Vice President of the apex industry body said on Saturday.

Singh was responding to question on what advise Nasscom is giving to companies and professionals to navigate the "disruptions" emerging from US' move to raise H-1B visa application fee to USD 100,000.

Speaking to PTI, Singh referred to the H-1B visa as a critical cog in the operations of both US and Indian companies.

"This particular move has come at a time when the technology is evolving at such a rapid pace, with AI and other front-end technologies gaining space to make the US the number one economy and the need to sustain American innovation leadership. This is something which is going to disrupt the system for some time, given the fact that not enough transition time was given. It was one day's deadline for professionals to return," he said.

Singh added, "We've recommended our member companies that they should make efforts to get their employees who are outside the US to return before the 21st of September. And so that is an advice." Nasscom believes that more consultations with the industry should have taken place before a significant move like this was put in place.

"The fact remains that Indian nationals form the bulk of H1Bs, which is around 70 per cent plus, and it goes to Indian companies, it goes a lot to the US companies as well. And Indian nationals are chosen because they have the skill set, and that is why they are in high demand from across the world," Singh said.

Nasscom on Saturday said the US' move to raise H-1B visa application fee to USD 100,000 will impact India's technology services companies as business continuity will be disrupted for onshore projects which may require "adjustments".

The association also flagged concerns over September 21 timeline for implementation saying a one-day deadline creates considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world.

US' move will impact Indian nationals that are on H-1B visas working for global and Indian companies, Nasscom had said in its statement.

"While we are reviewing the finer details of the order, adjustments of this nature can potentially have ripple effects on America's innovation ecosystem and the wider job economy," Nasscom said.

India's technology services companies will also be impacted as business continuity will be disrupted for onshore projects which may require adjustments.

"Companies will work closely with clients to adapt and manage transitions," Nasscom added.

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation that will raise the fee for H1-B visas to a steep USD 100,000 annually. The H-1B visa fee ranges from about USD 2,000 to USD 5,000, depending on employer size and other costs.

Indian techies are among the main beneficiaries of the US H-1B visa program, which attracts top talent and expertise from around the globe. The Congressional mandated pool is 650,000 such visas every year, along with an additional 20,000 visas reserved for those who have earned advanced degrees in the US.

A look at the USCIS website shows that for FY25 (data as on June 30, 2025), Amazon topped the list of H-1B visa approvals at 10,044.

In that list of top ten beneficiaries, TCS (5,505) is at the second spot followed by Microsoft Corp (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Cognizant (2,493), JP Morgan Chase (2,440), Walmart (2,390) and Deloitte Consulting (2,353). The top 20 list includes Infosys (2,004), LTIMindtree (1,807), and HCL America (1,728).

The visa fee blow comes at a time when the USD 283-billion Indian IT sector is already rattled by a turbulent business environment in the world's largest outsourcing market. The sector faces delays in client decision-making amid macroeconomic uncertainties, tariffs and trade wars, geopolitical tensions, and the changing landscape driven by AI.

Adding to the concerns is the legislative threat of the proposed Halting International Relocation of Employment (HIRE) Act, introduced by Senator Bernie Moreno, which if passed, will curb outsourcing and promote domestic employment by imposing a 25 per cent levy on payments made by American companies to foreign workers for services benefiting US consumers. PTI MBI TRB