NASSCOM clarifies new $100,000 H-1B fee: Only for new applicants

Business Sep 22, 2025

NASSCOM has cleared up confusion around the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications.
The fee—part of US reforms to protect local jobs—will only apply once to new applicants starting in 2026 and won't impact anyone already holding an H-1B.

Indian tech firms are already hiring less in the US

Indian tech companies are relying less on H-1B visas anyway, with numbers dropping from nearly 15,000 in 2015 to just over 10,000 in 2024.
Since the change is delayed and most top Indian firms hire locally and use H-1Bs mainly for hard-to-fill roles (less than 1% of their staff), NASSCOM expects only a minor impact.
They're also urging the US to keep skilled worker rules stable so innovation and growth don't take a hit, which is crucial for sustaining national competitiveness and economic growth.