South Asia is among the regions most affected by President Trump’s new policy imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications. In FY2024, South Asian countries together accounted for over 290,000 H-1B visas, with India alone representing 71% of all approvals.
While India’s dominance in the program makes it the most exposed, smaller countries — including Bangladesh (1,173), Pakistan (3,055), Nepal (2,157), and Sri Lanka (530) — face proportionally greater challenges. Many of their applicants are students or early-career professionals relying on smaller firms that may not afford the hefty fee.
The policy threatens to:
- Reduce diversity in U.S. tech and research sectors,
- Disrupt diaspora remittance flows,
- Push more South Asian talent toward alternative destinations like Canada, Germany, and Australia.
Regional governments have expressed concern, calling the decision a setback for global talent mobility and economic cooperation.