H-1B panic? Adani Group CFO tells techies: 'India is the game to be at'

Adani Group Chief Financial Officer Jugeshinder Singh on Saturday reacted to the sudden US H-1B visa fee hike, urging Indian professionals to focus on opportunities in India.

"I have had full access to work in US/Aus/EU/CAN since 1996. Today, I am here, in India," Singh wrote. "India is a once in millennium opportunity. India will add an economy the size of US in next 25 years presenting an unparalleled professional opportunity and the profound joy of creating in our land of birth.  India is now the game to be at. If you’re on a US campus feeling disturbed or disheartened, do be afraid of the unseen and remember: many doors are open back home. India of 2025 is the greatest opportunity humanity has seen. Aao, ab laut chalo! 🇮🇳 Reach me - we at @AdaniOnline and many more corporates welcome you, India welcomes you!"

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump's proclamation ordering a steep increase in the annual H-1B non-immigrant visa fee to USD 100,000 triggered widespread panic among Indian tech professionals. The move, which takes effect at 12:01 am EDT on September 21, 2025, caused immigration attorneys and companies to advise H-1B holders abroad to return within 24 hours to avoid being stranded. Reports surfaced of Indian professionals disembarking from planes at the San Francisco International Airport following the announcement.

Trump's proclamation alleged that the H-1B visa program, created to bring high-skilled workers into the US, was being exploited to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign labor. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initially suggested the fee would apply annually to new and renewing visa holders, raising fears of major disruption to Indian IT companies and tech professionals. Indians represent approximately 71% of all H-1B approvals in recent years, with China as the next largest group.

The sudden fee hike was expected to impact business continuity for India-based IT services companies with onshore projects, while raising humanitarian concerns regarding families affected by the abrupt timeline. The move also coincided with renewed India-US trade talks, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal scheduled to visit the US the following week.

However, the White House later clarified that the USD 100,000 fee is a one-time charge applicable only to new applicants, not renewals or current visa holders. "This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X. "Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter."

She further said that H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would; whatever ability they have to do that is not impacted by yesterday’s proclamation. "This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders. It will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle."