India, Sept. 21 -- Indian-origin US Congressman Ami Bera, a Democrat who was en route to Delhi when President Donald Trump announced $100,000 annual application fee on the H-1B visa programme, has called the move, effectively shutting the door on skilled Indian employees, a mistake.

The US awards 85,000 H-1B visas annually on a lottery system. India accounts for around three-quarters of the recipients. Large American technology firms rely on Indian workers.

"It caught us by surprise. We get on an airplane in the United States, and you have no idea this is going to happen. [We]... land in India, and it is front page news," said Bera, who is in India to meet business leaders and government officials.

He said the move is going to hurt US ...