H-1B visa fee hike: Beneficiaries like Musk, Nadella, Pichai silent
What's the story
Silicon Valley's tech giants, including Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, and Satya Nadella, have been silent over the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visa petitions. The fee was announced by the Donald Trump administration on Saturday. The silence is surprising considering Musk had previously expressed strong opposition to changes in the H-1B visa system.
Past remarks
Musk's previous stance on H-1B visa changes
Musk, who is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, had previously been vocal about his opposition to changes in the H-1B visa system. In a post on X in December, he said that many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and other successful companies are here because of the H-1B. He even threatened to "go to war" over this issue.
Rule details
New rules and their impact
The new rules, signed by President Trump, impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas. The administration says the measure will ensure only "extraordinarily skilled" individuals enter the country and prevent firms from using foreign professionals to replace American workers. The move largely impacts Indian techies as around 71% of H-1B visa holders are Indians.
Clarification issued
Clarification on new rules
The administration has clarified that the new rules apply only to new petitions and not to existing visa holders re-entering the country. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt clarified on X that "this is NOT an annual fee. It's a one-time fee that applies only to the petition." A petition is a request by a company for bringing in a skilled worker from another country into the US.