After H-1B Shock, Indians Must Prepare For Another Jolt!

The Donald Trump administration in the United States has delivered a brutal shocker with the announcement of the new H-1B visa fee for the Indian community.

After increasing the H-1B visa fees to $100K, some U.S. senators are now targeting Indian students’ work visas.

Senator Chuck Grassley has asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop giving work permits to international students. He argued that students on F-1 visas, who get jobs through Optional Practical Training (OPT), are taking opportunities from American workers and that this goes against U.S. law.

OPT allows international students to work in the U.S. for 12 months after graduation, and up to 36 months for STEM graduates.

Many Indian students depend on this system to gain experience and later move to an H-1B visa. If OPT is restricted, it will affect thousands of Indian students.

In 2024, more than 331,000 Indian students were studying in the U.S., with nearly 200,000 in graduate programs. India also made up about 71% of all H-1B approvals. Because of this, any change will strongly impact Indians.

Experts say such proposals create uncertainty. Some students are already looking at other countries like Germany for education and job opportunities. While this is not yet a law, the debate is worrying for Indian students who see the U.S. as their main career destination.