US Chamber of Commerce 'concerned' over new H-1B visa rule: 'Working to find best path forward'

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

The US Chamber of Commerce on September 20 said it is “concerned” about the impact of the new H-1B visa rule that significantly hikes the fee of companies for applications and is working with the US government to find a resolution.

"We’re concerned about the impact on employees, their families, and employers. We’re working with the administration and our members to understand the full implications and the best path forward," the US Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to raise the fee that companies pay to sponsor H-1B applicants to a whopping $100,000, causing a mega disruption in the tech industry.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

Widespread panic, confusion and concern had gripped Indians in the US on H-1B visas in the hours after Trump’s order to impose the fee, with many cancelling travel plans at the last minute while waiting to board flights to the homeland and several others already in India scrambling to return.

Immigration attorneys and companies sounded the alarm for H-1B visa holders or their family members currently outside the US for work or vacation, asking them to return to the US before the proclamation kicked in on September 21.

Under a Congressional-mandated cap, the United States can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visas every year and another 20,000 to those who have obtained master's and higher degrees from the US. The current H1B visa fee ranges from about $ 2,000 to $ 5,000, depending on employer size and other costs.