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Trump to impose $100k fee for H-1B worker visas, White House says

(www.reuters.com)
1245 points mriguy | 4 comments | 19 Sep 25 19:59 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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bhouston ◴[20 Sep 25 01:12 UTC] No.45308820[source]▶
This is actually smart. Many H1B visas are used to undermine fair labor wages for already local talent. We should ensure that H1B visas are for actual unique talent and not just to undercut local wages.

H1B is ripe with abuse - this article by Bloomberg says that half of all H1-B visas are used by Indian staffing firms that pay significantly lower than the US laborers they are replacing:

- https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-h1b-visa-middlemen-c...

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djohnston ◴[20 Sep 25 01:14 UTC] No.45308851[source]▶
The only way to do that (and preserve H1B) is to entirely disconnect the subcontinent from the application process. Their top companies exist only to scam immigration programs around the world, it is their raison d'être.
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truncate ◴[20 Sep 25 01:26 UTC] No.45308979[source]▶
So both people and companies from those countries?
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djohnston ◴[20 Sep 25 01:28 UTC] No.45308996[source]▶
Yep.
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1. truncate ◴[20 Sep 25 01:45 UTC] No.45309232[source]▶
>> The only way to do that (and preserve H1B) is to entirely disconnect the subcontinent from the application process.

In that case, better to rephrase to "US should close borders for Indians (and China?) workers and companies". Why sugercoat it?

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2. djohnston ◴[20 Sep 25 01:50 UTC] No.45309299[source]▶
I didn’t include China. I also don’t think there’s any reason to close the borders to Indians. Rather, simply close off access to their Frankenstein cottage industry of scammers.
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3. truncate ◴[20 Sep 25 02:02 UTC] No.45309425[source]▶
I agree that H1B abuse should be fixed. Its also bad for other H1Bs which have the skill and didn't abuse the system (which many of them are).

Maybe this 100k thing will fix it and maybe this wont. My main complain with this administration is always the chaos and impulsiveness which doesn't bring much confidence that they are actually capable of actually fixing the problem, as it always doesn't seem well thought through or executed. More like headlines to get some cheering from MAGA crowd.

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4. famerica ◴[20 Sep 25 03:50 UTC] No.45310177{3}[source]▶
> My main complain with this administration is always the chaos and impulsiveness which doesn't bring much confidence that they are actually capable of actually fixing the problem, as it always doesn't seem well thought through or executed. More like headlines to get some cheering from MAGA crowd.

I think it could also be that they don't want to fix any problems, but they do want the chaos and media attention that provides catharsis to the voting base.