Published on, Sept. 29 -- September 29, 2025 11:35 AM

New Delhi, India - Meghna Gupta had her life planned out. A master's degree by 23, a few years of work in India, and then a move to the United States before turning 30. For years, she worked long hours at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), hoping for a promotion that would take her to California.

Now 29, her dream has collapsed after US President Donald Trump's administration raised the H-1B visa fee from about $2,000 to $100,000. For companies, this pushes the cost of hiring an H-1B worker to at least $160,000, making it easier to hire local employees instead.

The H-1B programme has been a key route for Indians entering the US workforce. In 2024, more than 70 percent of these visas w...