H1-B visa fee hike will choke US innovation, push next wave of patents to Indian cities: Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant

New Delhi: President Donald Trump's decision to raise annual H1-B visa fee to $1,00,000 will choke US innovation and turbocharge India's by pushing the next wave of labs, patents and startups to cities like Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said on Saturday.

The Trump administration says this fee is aimed at ensuring that the people being brought into the country are "actually very highly skilled" and do not replace American workers.

"Donald Trump's 100,000 H-1B fee will choke U.S. innovation, and turbocharge India's. By slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon . India's finest Doctors, engineers, scientists, innovators have an opportunity to contribute to India's growth & progress towards #ViksitBharat. America's loss will be India's gain," he said in a post on X.

In a move that could adversely impact Indian professionals on visas in the US, Trump on Friday signed a proclamation that will raise the fee for H1-B visas to a staggering $1,00,000 annually, the latest in the administration's efforts to crack down on immigration.

The move is aimed at protecting American workers while ensuring that companies have a pathway to hire truly extraordinary people and bring them to the US. Companies pay to sponsor H1-B applicants.