Overview

• The one‑time $100,000 charge applies only to new H‑1B petitions and has been in force since September 21 after White House clarification that renewals and current holders are excluded.
• Homeland Security has advanced a proposal to prioritize higher‑paid beneficiaries in H‑1B selections, and the Labor Department signaled stepped‑up investigations of program violations.
• Indian IT providers expect a 10–20 basis‑point margin hit with 30–70% of costs likely passed to clients, while some firms report pausing or reducing new petitions.
• Research universities, though cap‑exempt, warn that hiring at past levels could drive annual H‑1B outlays into the tens of millions of dollars.
• India’s foreign ministry said it is formally engaged with U.S. officials and industry as the rulemaking opens for comment, while immigration lawyers prepare expected legal challenges.