Tech industry group urges Trump administration to drop $103,265 H-1B fee proposal, asks how Silicon Valley will hire top talents

Silicon Valley opposes Trump administration's $103K H-1B fee proposal. TechNet, an industry association representing major US technology companies, has urged the Trump administration to withdraw a proposed $103,265 fee on certain new H-1B visa petitions, saying the measure could make it harder for US companies to recruit highly skilled workers, Wall Street Journal reported. The group submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security opposing the proposed fee. TechNet was joined in its comments by the Information Technology Industry Council and the Semiconductor Industry Association.The proposed fee comes as the administration is tightening the US high-skilled immigration system and encouraging employers to give greater priority to American workers. The proposal has drawn concern from technology companies that rely heavily on foreign-born workers, particularly for specialised positions in fields such as artificial intelligence, engineering and other STEM disciplines.TechNet said the proposed fee could undermine US competitiveness by making it more difficult for American companies to access specialised talent from around the world.“This proposal undermines the US global compe...