Overview

• Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the $100,000 charge applies only once to new H‑1B petitions and does not affect existing holders or renewals, correcting initial confusion after comments by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
• Indian professionals reported panic-driven travel changes, including passengers deboarding flights and companies advising H‑1B staff not to leave the United States while procedures are clarified.
• Industry analysts say IT providers will pause onshore rotations, shift more delivery to India and other locations, and increase hiring of U.S. citizens and green‑card holders, with some warning these changes could stick even if the fee is later challenged.
• Nasscom flagged business continuity risks for onshore projects, and India’s foreign ministry cited potential humanitarian fallout for families as officials and employers assess immediate operational steps.
• Students and early‑career workers voiced anxiety over diminished study‑to‑work pathways in the U.S., with some considering alternatives in Europe and other markets as India’s $280 billion IT sector recalibrates its U.S.‑focused model.