New rules will be announced after 12 days, will it affect Indians?

The US Department of Homeland Security is proposing a new rule, effective July 8, that would require employers to pay additional fees to extend work visas for foreign workers, including $4,000 for H-1B visas and $4,500 for L-1 visas

Increasing fees on visa extensions aims to increase security

The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed a rule that would require employers to pay an additional fee when extending work visas for foreign workers starting July 8. The proposal includes a fee of USD 4,000 (roughly Rs. 3,33,000) for extending an H-1B visa and USD 4,500 (roughly Rs. 3,75,000) for extending an L-1 visa.

This extension of the 9/11 response and biometric entry-exit fees, which currently apply only to initial visa applications and changes of employers, is intended to fund national security programs.

Indian professionals will be affected

This change will impact the H-1B visas opted by Indian professionals. The H-1B visa is the main route for Indian IT companies to send their software engineers to the US, with Indians consistently being the largest group of H-1B recipients.

In 2022, Indians received 77 percent of the 3,20,000 approved H-1B visas. This year, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services expects about 350,000 applicants.

This fee must be paid

Employers currently having 50 or more US employees, of whom more than 50 percent are on H-1B or L-1 visas, must pay this fee for the initial application or to change employer. The fee is US$4,000 for an H-1B application and US$4,500 for an L-1 application.

These visas allow US companies to bring in skilled professionals for specialized roles that are difficult to fill domestically, demonstrating their importance in the US job market.