H-1B fee could push jobs offshore, warns US lawmaker Krishnamoorthi

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has warned that a proposed USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B visas could push US companies to move work abroad, harming the country's ability to attract skilled talent. In an interview, Krishnamoorthi called the fee a "tax" on highly specialised technical workers who have often gone on to create companies employing hundreds of thousands of people. He said the policy forces a choice: "You can either onshore the talent or offshore the work."

The H-1B programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals for speciality occupations. According to greatandhra.com, Indian nationals received 71 per cent of all H-1B visas in fiscal year 2024. Hindustan Times reports that President Donald Trump imposed the fee in September last year, drawing criticism from businesses and advocates who said the cost would hurt recruitment of skilled workers. In July, a US federal appeals court refused to stay a lower court ruling that struck down the fee as an unlawful tax not authorised by Congress.

Krishnamoorthi also blamed Trump for a rise in anti-Asian sentiment, saying the former president had normalised hostility towards minority communities. The congressman called for fixing the legal immigration system and ending policies he described as "own goals" on H-1B and other legal pathways. The court's denial of a stay means the fee remains blocked for now.