American dream over. Trump shuts IT professionals

US President Donald Trump increases the annual fee to $100,000

• US President Donald Trump on Friday increased the annual fee to $100,000 for H-1B visa for high-tech foreign workers – a move that will significantly affect Indians who are employed by tech firms and others.
• Signing the proclamation at the White House, Trump stated that the “incentive is to hire American workers”.
• The move will protect American workers while making sure companies have the pathway to hire “truly extraordinary people” and bring them to the US.
• If the move survives legal muster, the move will deliver staggeringly high price increments.
• The visa fee for skilled labour will jump from $215.
• The fee for investor visas, which are common in European countries, would jump from $10,000-$20,000 per year.
• The administration introduced a Gold Card visa programme containing the Trump Gold Card and Trump Platinum Card for individuals, and Trump Corporate Gold Card for businesses.
• These cards offer exclusive privileges and look to replace employment-based visas that provide paths to citizenship, including for professors, scientists, artists, and athletes.

Trump Gold, Platinum, and Corporate Gold Card prices, how to obtain, and benefits

• Trump Gold Card: Target – Individuals; Price - $1 million; How to obtain – An individual will need to submit his/her application form with a non-refundable processing fee. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will conduct an in-depth background and a vetting process for the potential card holder; Benefit – Once an applicant is approved, they can use the Trump Gold Card all over 50 states and territories.
• Trump Platinum Card: Target – Individuals; Price - $5 million; How to obtain – Although the registration process for this card is yet to start, an individual will need to sign up and secure his/her place in the waiting list. He/she will be required to pay a processing fee and wait for vetting by the Department of Homeland Security; Benefit – Once an applicant is approved, individuals can spend up to 270 days in the US without being subjected to taxes on non-US incomes.
• Trump Corporate Gold Card: Target – Companies hiring foreign employees; Price - $2 million; How to obtain – Businesses are required to pay a processing and wait for the Department of Homeland Security to vet them; Benefit – The card can change hands from one employee to another by paying a fee and Department of Homeland Security vetting.

What do Indians need to do?

• Indians are misreading the whole Donald Trump H-1B visa issue.
• Indians are wasting their energy on outrage.
• They need to channel it into cold, hard resolve backed by numbers – since this is a desperate pressure move by the US to force India into signing a trade deal on their terms.
• Indians need to stay united and not give in to the power move by the US President.
• India has to show that they are not a country that plays to the whims of the US.

Editor’s Note

• As prices for H-1B visas are hiked by the directive of US President Donald Trump, it is clearly visible that it is a power move to force India into signing the trade agreement by playing into the whims of the US. India needs to show courage and restrain from signing the trade deal under external pressure. It will be interesting to see what the next step would be by Trump as he breaks down against the resolve of united Indians.
• #h-1bvisahike #usvisafeeincrease #ustechvisapolicy #trumpgoldcardvisa