Former U.S. President Donald Trump is once again turning his attention to immigration — this time by planning fresh restrictions on the H-1B visa program, a move that could deeply impact Indian IT professionals, who make up nearly 75% of all H-1B holders in the United States.
According to officials familiar with the development, Trump’s team is reportedly working on a new set of visa regulations aimed at tightening eligibility norms and imposing additional scrutiny on employers. The move follows the sharp hike in H-1B visa fees to $100,000 earlier this year and comes ahead of the 2025 U.S. elections — signaling a renewed push toward his “America First” policy.
Fresh Curbs After a Costly Fee Hike
The proposed changes, currently under review by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), may overhaul how companies qualify for the visa and redefine “cap-exempt” employers — those not bound by the annual visa limit. Officials say stricter compliance checks and enhanced oversight could be introduced to ensure “transparency and integrity” in the system.
A Newsweek report suggests that while the full scope of the reform is not yet public, experts fear it could make the process even harder for foreign workers already in the U.S., potentially affecting existing H-1B holders as well.
‘Worker Protection’ or Policy Backlash?
Trump’s camp maintains that the reforms are designed to protect American jobs and wages, ensuring that U.S. workers are not displaced by cheaper foreign labor. However, analysts argue the measures could backfire — hurting the tech sector, which depends heavily on global talent, particularly from India and China.
India’s IT Ecosystem on Alert
Indian professionals — especially in engineering, data science, and software development — form the backbone of America’s innovation economy. Any additional hurdles could push companies to relocate work offshore, experts warn, weakening the U.S. advantage in tech and research.
For thousands of Indian students and job seekers aspiring to work in the U.S., Trump’s latest visa policy signals another uncertain chapter in their American dream.
