Microsoft has urged its workers on H-1B and H-4 visas to return to the US instantly earlier than the Trump administration’s September 21 deadline, after which firms will likely be required to pay $100,000 per 12 months for every H-1B employee visa. In response to an inside e mail reviewed by Reuters, the software program large has additionally suggested these already within the US to remain there for the foreseeable future.“H-1B visa holders ought to keep within the US for the foreseeable future. Additionally suggest H-4 visa holders stay within the US. Strongly suggest H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the US tomorrow earlier than the deadline,” Microsoft stated in its e mail to workers as quoted by Reuters.
H-1B visa to price extra
Donald Trump has signed an government order on Friday, September 19 introducing a $100,000 annual price for H-1B visa functions, dealing a giant blow to the expertise sector that depends closely on expert employees from India and China. Anticipating the tech trade’s response to the adjustments, Trump stated “I feel they are going to be very comfortable”. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated “If you are going to prepare any individual, you are going to prepare one of many current graduates from one of many nice universities throughout our land. Practice People. Cease bringing in individuals to take our jobs”. White Home employees secretary Will Scharf stated, “One of the abused visa methods is the H1-B non-immigrant visa programme. That is supposed to permit extremely expert labourers who work in fields that People do not work in to return into the USA of America. What this proclamation will do is elevate the price that firms pay to sponsor H-1B candidates to $100,000. This can be sure that the individuals they’re bringing in are literally very extremely expert and that they are not replaceable by American employees.“
India accounts for many H-1B visas
India remained the main recipient of H-1B visas final 12 months. As per the federal government information, the nation alone accounted for 71% of authorized beneficiaries, with China trailing at 11.7%. Within the first half of 2025, Amazon and its cloud unit AWS secured approvals for greater than 12,000 H-1B visas, whereas Microsoft and Meta every obtained over 5,000 approvals.