'India Has A Weak PM': Rahul Gandhi Hits Out At Prime Minister Modi Over Trump's H-1B Visa Fee Hike

New Delhi: Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over US President Donald Trump's decision to hike the H-1B visa fee for companies hiring workers, 71 percent of whom include Indians.

Gandhi took to micro-blogging site X to share the report highlighting the impact of the H-1B visa fee hike on Indian workers. “I repeat, India has a weak PM,” the Congress MP captioned the report in a swipe at the PM Modi.

Trump's H-1B Jolt
President Trump on Friday signed an executive order imposing a hefty USD 1,00000 fee from the previously USD 4,500 for US companies hiring workers under the H-1B program, a favourite among the Indian workers. The fee hike for employers is set to adversely impact Indian workers, who travel to the US as H-1B Visa holders.

President Trump, who hiked the H-1B visa fee for companies hiring workers, also rolled out a $1 million “gold card” visa as a potential pathway to US citizenship.

Impact On Indian H-1B Visa Holders
The massive hike in the H-1B visa fee for employers hiring workers is set to hit Indians, who accounted for 71 percent of the petitions. According to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data, a total of 207,000 Indians received H-1B visas in FY 2024 against 191,000 in FY 2023.

The existing costs for an H-1B visa include Registration $215, base filing $460, anti-fraud $500, and an additional employer fee $4,000, depending on company size and workforce composition.

What Is H-1B Visa?
The H-1B Visa is a temporary visa sought by the US employers for highly skilled workforce from the USCIS. According to the USCIS website, H-1B applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience in the specialty occupation including fashion models, physicians, and Department of Defense project participants.

Read More:

1. TCS Second-Highest Beneficiary Of Approved H-1B Visas After Amazon: USCIS Data
2. 'Reckless' H1-B Fee Will Have Negative Impact On IT Industry, Say US Lawmakers And Community