India, Sept. 21 -- US president Donald Trump announced major changes to the H1B visa programme on Friday. An HT analysis shows that it amounts to effectively killing the programme. The new visa fees of $100,000 announced by Trump -- something also applicable to an existing H1 B visa holder re-entering the US -- is more than the median annual salary of a fresh H1B visa holder and more than 80% of the average annual salary of all H1B visa holders. As the biggest beneficiary of the programme, India stands to lose the most. Perhaps more than the 50% tariffs Trump has put on Indian exports. This is yet another debilitating blow to Indo-US relations: over 28 years, Indians have received 60% of all H1B visas issued.

What changes has Trump made ...