60% of Indian H-1B visa holders earn less than the new $100,000 fee per year, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• A proposed H-1B visa fee increase to $100,000 per year by the U.S. government could disproportionately affect Indian workers.
• In FY 2023-24, Indian nationals accounted for 71% of all H-1B visa beneficiaries.
• Approximately 60% of Indian H-1B visa holders earned $100,000 or less annually in 2024.
• The median annual salary for Indian H-1B workers was $95,500 in 2024, lower than the $120,000 for non-Indian workers.

Detailed Insights:

• The current H-1B visa fee ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per application, but the proposed rule could raise it to $300,000 for a three-year visa.
• The analysis of Bloomberg's open dataset on H-1B applications from 2024 reveals that Indian workers' salaries are comparatively lower.
• A significant portion of Indian H-1B workers falls within the $75,000-$100,000 salary range, making the new fee a substantial burden.
• The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to employ foreign professionals in specialized fields such as technology, engineering, and medicine.

Key Concepts Involved:

• H-1B Visa: A non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
• Median Salary: The middle value in a list of salaries, where half of the salaries are above and half are below this value.