 "According to the American authorities, the policy aims to reduce reliance on foreign skilled labour and prioritise American hiring. Reuters")
US President Donald Trump announced on September 21 that a fee of $100,000 will be imposed on new H-1B visa applicants. This came as a huge shock, especially for middle-class Indians aspiring to work in the US in the IT, healthcare, or education sectors. Until then, H-1B visa fees had typically ranged from about $2,000 (Rs 1.77 lakh) to $5,000 (Rs 4.43 lakh).
According to the American authorities, the policy aims to reduce reliance on foreign skilled labour and prioritise American hiring. The proclamation states that petitions not accompanied by the $100,000 payment will be denied, unless exemptions are granted for cases deemed in the national interest.
Amid this hoopla, let us take a look at the various types of visas that the US offers and how they differ from one another.