Microsoft has actually prompted its staff members on H-1B and H-4 visas to go back to the United States right away before the Trump administration’s September 21 due date, after which business will be needed to pay $100,000 each year for each H-1B employee visa.
According to an internal e-mail evaluated by Reuters, the software application giant has actually likewise encouraged those currently in the United States to remain there for the foreseeable future.“H-1B visa holders must remain in the United States for the foreseeable future. Advise H-4 visa holders stay in the United States. Highly suggest H-1B and H-4 visa holders go back to the United States tomorrow before the due date,” Microsoft stated in its e-mail to workers as estimated by Reuters.
H-1B visa to cost more
Donald Trump has actually signed an executive order on Friday, September 19 presenting a $ 100,000 yearly cost for H-1B visa applications, dealing a huge blow to the innovation sector that relies greatly on competent employees from India and China. Expecting the tech market’s reaction to the modifications, Trump stated “I believe they’re going to be really pleased”. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated “If you’re going to train someone, you’re going to train among the current graduates from among the terrific universities throughout our land.
Train Americans. Stop generating individuals to take our tasks”. White House personnel secretary Will Scharf stated, “One of the most abused visa systems is the H1-B non-immigrant visa programme. This is supposed to allow highly skilled labourers who work in fields that Americans don’t work in to come into the United States of America. What this proclamation will do is raise the fee that companies pay to sponsor H-1B applicants to $100,000.
This will ensure that the people they’re bringing in are actually very highly skilled and that they’re not replaceable by American workers.
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India represents the majority of H-1B visas
India stayed the leading recipient of H-1B visas in 2015. Based on the federal government information, the nation alone represented 71% of authorized recipients, with China tracking at 11.7%. In the very first half of 2025, Amazon and its cloud system AWS protected approvals for more than 12,000 H-1B visas, while Microsoft and Meta each acquired over 5,000 approvals.