Nitin Ahirwal | Engineer, Developer & Tech Enthusiast

Introduction

For decades, the H1B visa has symbolized opportunity. It was the bridge that connected a young graduate from Bangalore, Hyderabad, or Chennai to the shimmering offices of Silicon Valley. For parents, it was proof that all the sacrifices — late nights, coaching classes, endless tuitions — had paid off. For students, it was the first step toward the coveted “American Dream.”

But in 2025, the conversation has shifted dramatically. US President Donald Trump, during his renewed policy push, has floated the idea of slapping a $100,000 fee on H1B visas. This is not a minor tweak. It is, in many ways, the boldest move ever proposed in the history of US skilled migration policy.

At first glance, this seems disastrous for Indian tech talent. After all, over 70% of all H1B visas go to Indians. With such a high entry barrier, tens of thousands of Indian engineers, data scientists, and developers would suddenly find their path to the US blocked.

But dig deeper, and a fascinating paradox emerges: this move may actually benefit India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and other developing countries in ways we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago. By closing one door, the US may have inadvertently opened dozens of others.

This post will explore the why, how, and what next:

Why Trump and US policymakers are pushing for such a drastic measure.
How this could backfire on American competitiveness.
Why it could accelerate the rise of India and other emerging economies as remote-first tech hubs.
Why now is the perfect time to build our own global platforms — from social networks to cloud ecosystems.

And most importantly: why this moment could mark the end of the “H1B Dream” and the beginning of a new era of digital sovereignty and innovation in the Global South.

Part 1: A Brief History of the H1B Visa

To truly grasp the impact of Trump’s $100,000 proposal, we need to rewind.

The H1B visa was created in 1990 as part of the Immigration Act signed by President George H. W. Bush. The intent was simple: allow US companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise. Over time, “specialty occupations” became synonymous with technology jobs.

In the late 1990s, during the dot-com boom, H1Bs became a lifeline for companies desperate for engineers.
By the 2000s, Indian IT outsourcing giants like Infosys, Wipro, and TCS turned H1Bs into a pipeline — sending armies of engineers to American clients.
In the 2010s, H1Bs became a rite of passage for Indian computer science graduates. Every spring, tens of thousands applied through a lottery system, praying for selection.

The numbers tell the story:

85,000 new H1B visas are issued annually (65,000 regular + 20,000 for advanced degree holders).
In recent years, Indian nationals accounted for ~70-75% of all approvals.
As of 2023, over 600,000 Indian professionals were working in the US on H1B visas.

In short, the H1B was not just a visa. It was an ecosystem, a pipeline, and a dream.

Part 2: Why Trump Is Proposing a $100,000 H1B Charge

So why the sudden escalation? Why slap such a high price tag on something that’s been central to US tech growth? The reasons lie at the intersection of politics, economics, and perception.

2.1 The Political Angle

Immigration is one of the most polarizing issues in US politics. While the headlines often focus on illegal immigration across the southern border, skilled visas like H1B have also been dragged into the debate. Trump’s base — largely middle-class American workers — often believe that foreign workers are:

Taking away American jobs.
Depressing wages in the tech sector.
Exploiting loopholes to transition to permanent residency.

By attaching a $100,000 fee, Trump signals that he is serious about “America First.” It is both a deterrent and a political message.

2.2 The Economic Angle

The US economy is under stress. Growth is slowing, debt is ballooning, and domestic inequality is widening. Policymakers argue that importing cheaper skilled labor is no longer sustainable.

Big Tech companies — Google, Microsoft, Amazon — save billions by hiring foreign engineers at lower salaries compared to their American counterparts. A $100,000 visa fee is seen as:

A revenue source for the government.
A way to level the playing field for American workers.

2.3 The Perception Gap

In India, getting an H1B is like winning a medal. In the US, the perception has shifted toward resentment. Media narratives often portray Indian IT firms as “flooding” the system, crowding out American workers.

So, the $100,000 charge isn’t just about money. It’s about rebalancing the narrative.

Part 3: Why This Could Backfire on the US

Here’s the paradox: while the $100k fee looks like a win for “protecting American jobs,” it may actually weaken US competitiveness in the long run.

3.1 Talent Flight

Top-tier graduates from IITs, NITs, and IIITs may stop applying altogether. Why would they pay $100k (plus other costs) for a visa that offers no long-term certainty? Instead, they’ll take high-paying remote jobs or join local startups.

3.2 Rise of Remote Hiring

Companies don’t operate in a vacuum. If they can’t bring talent in, they’ll send work out. Remote hiring platforms like Toptal, Deel, and Remote.com are already booming. The H1B restriction will only accelerate this.

3.3 Innovation Slowdown

Immigrant founders and workers have built America’s biggest success stories. From Google (Sergey Brin, Russian immigrant) to Tesla (Elon Musk, South African) to Intel (Andy Grove, Hungarian refugee), the immigrant contribution is undeniable. Restricting this inflow weakens America’s innovation edge.

Part 4: Why This Is a Golden Opportunity for India

Now let’s flip the lens. What looks like a barrier is, in fact, an opportunity for India.

4.1 Remote Work Normalization

COVID-19 broke the myth that everyone needs to be in Silicon Valley to build great products. Today, a team in Bangalore can work seamlessly with colleagues in New York or London. If visas are blocked, companies will simply expand remote-first hiring.

4.2 India’s Cost Advantage

An engineer in Bangalore costs one-third (sometimes one-fifth) of a San Francisco engineer. Even with generous pay hikes, it’s still far cheaper for companies to hire remotely.

4.3 “Build Here, Sell Everywhere”

India has already proven it can build global products: Zoho, Freshworks, Razorpay, Flipkart. Instead of exporting talent, India can now export products and services.

4.4 The Psychological Shift

For decades, Indian engineers were seen as coders-for-hire. But the narrative is changing. Success stories are inspiring young engineers to think like creators, not just workers.

Part 5: Beyond India — Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Others

India may be the biggest beneficiary, but it won’t be alone.

Vietnam: With strong government backing for startups, Vietnam is rapidly becoming a tech powerhouse. Companies like FPT Software are expanding globally.
Bangladesh: Already a leader in freelancing, with over 650,000 registered freelancers on Upwork and Fiverr. IT exports crossed $1.5 billion in 2023.
Philippines: Dominates BPO and is moving up the value chain into software development.

The shift away from H1B creates a multi-polar tech world.

Part 6: The Need for Digital Sovereignty — Building Our Own Platforms

Here’s the most critical piece: we cannot just rely on being the “back office of the world.” If the US closes its doors, we must build our own digital sovereignty.

6.1 Our Own Social Platforms

Instagram, YouTube, Twitter (X) — all US platforms. But why should our data, our culture, and our content be owned by foreign companies? India already experimented with TikTok alternatives (Moj, Chingari), but it’s time to go bigger.

6.2 Our Own Google

Search and AI are being redefined by generative tech. India, with its vast AI talent pool, can build a search ecosystem tailored to Indian languages, culture, and needs.

6.3 Our Own Cloud

AWS, Azure, and GCP dominate global cloud. But depending on foreign providers is risky. India needs sovereign cloud providers at scale.

6.4 Payments & Fintech

India is already ahead here. UPI is a global model of instant, zero-cost payments. Scaling this internationally could challenge Visa and Mastercard.

Part 7: Case Studies of Local Success

Zoho: Bootstrapped in Chennai, serving 80+ million users worldwide.
Freshworks: The first Indian SaaS unicorn to list on Nasdaq.
UPI: Processing over 10 billion transactions monthly — a model the US is still trying to replicate.

These examples prove we don’t need the US to validate us. We can build and scale from home.

Part 8: The Human Angle — Why This Matters for Indian Youth

The biggest shift will be psychological. For decades, parents and students equated success with “going abroad.” The H1B was not just a visa; it was an identity.

But if that door closes, young Indians will:

Find high-paying remote jobs without leaving the country.
Join startups that are solving Indian problems for global markets.
Feel pride in building products used worldwide.
Avoid the mental toll of visa uncertainty and second-class status abroad.

Part 9: The Geopolitical Shift

This isn’t just economics. It’s geopolitics. For decades, the global internet has been US-centric. Every major platform — Google, Facebook, Amazon — was American. China showed that it’s possible to build your own ecosystem: WeChat, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent.

India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh can now do the same. If we succeed, the 2030 internet could be a multi-polar digital landscape, not a US monopoly.

Part 10: A Vision for 2030

Imagine the world in 2030 if we seize this moment:

India hosts 10 SaaS giants serving global clients.
Vietnam emerges as the hardware-software hub of Southeast Asia.
Bangladesh becomes the freelancing capital of the world.
Indian social platforms rival Instagram and YouTube globally.
UPI goes international, challenging Visa and Mastercard.

And the best part? None of this requires an H1B visa.

Conclusion: The End of the H1B Dream, The Beginning of Our Own

Trump’s $100,000 H1B visa proposal might look like a barrier. But in reality, it’s a wake-up call. For too long, we’ve chased the American Dream. It’s time to build our own dreams, on our own soil, with our own platforms.

The US may be closing its doors. But the internet is borderless. Talent is universal. And the next Silicon Valley doesn’t have to be in California.

It could be in Bangalore. In Dhaka. In Hanoi. In Manila.

The H1B dream may be ending. But the Global Dream is just beginning.