India, Sept. 28 -- The recent decision by US President Donald Trump to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 for each new application has sent shockwaves across India's professional and student communities aspiring to work in the United States. The abrupt, massive hike, effective as of September 21, 2025, radically alters the pathway that has, for decades, enabled skilled Indians to contribute to sectors like technology, healthcare, and academia in the US.

For decades, the H-1B visa was considered a golden ticket for Indian youth, especially the aspiring middle class and the highly skilled graduates of the country's STEM-focused institutions. Access to the American workforce meant prestige, better pay, and the opportunity for family mobili...