US may lose top tech talent over $100,000 H-1B fee: Krishnamoorthi

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has warned that a proposed $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas could hurt US competitiveness by pushing companies to move specialised work overseas. Speaking on the Spill the Tea series, the Illinois Democrat said businesses would face a choice between bringing talent into the US or offshoring jobs. He called the fee effectively a tax on highly skilled workers filling critical technical roles.

Krishnamoorthi argued that many H-1B workers have gone on to create companies and jobs in the US. He said the policy could damage America's ability to attract top professionals from India, China, and Sweden. In fiscal 2024, Indian nationals received 71% of all H-1B visas. Krishnamoorthi urged reforms to the legal immigration system and warned against measures that could weaken the US economy.

Separately, Krishnamoorthi accused President Donald Trump of normalising hate against minority communities, including Asian and Indian Americans. He said Trump had played on fears about outsiders and blamed them for economic problems, which had metastasised over 10 years into a normalisation of hate.