Washington | An Indian-American advocacy group has voiced concern over the proposed USD 103,265 additional fees for H1-B work visas, saying the move would push US jobs overseas.

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) said an extraordinary fee could make legitimate hiring economically impractical and unintentionally encourage companies to place high-value jobs overseas.

The FIIDS statement came a day after the Department of Homeland Security proposed an additional USD 103,265 fee for all H1-B visa cap-subject applications, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption.

“We recognise that DHS and USCIS need adequate resources to protect national security, prevent fraud and administer legal immigration. But a USD 103,265 H-1B fee could choke cash-strapped startups, while companies hiring thousands of H-1B workers could face hundreds of millions of dollars -- and potentially close to a billion dollars -- in additional costs,” Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy and Strategy, FIIDS said in a statement.

Kand said combined with a potential USD 100,000 OPT fee, totalling USD 203,265, the policy risks making the student-to-work pathway effectively unaffordable.

“We urge DHS and USCIS to find a more proportionate funding approach, Congress to ensure adequate agency funding, and industry to make America's talent needs clear,” he said.

“Protecting American workers and maintaining America's technological leadership must go hand in hand,” he said.

FIIDS said the proposal came as the international student pipeline in the United States was already showing signs of weakness. Citing data from the Institute of International Education, it said new international student enrolment fell by 17 per cent in autumn 2025.

It also cited a 2026 outlook from NAFSA that projected as many as 111,000 fewer international students. That would represent a possible 9.5 per cent decline and an economic loss of up to USD 3.4 billion, it added.

FIIDS said USCIS already receives around 96 per cent of its funding through fees paid by applicants and petitioners.