China might join India in opposing H-1B visa fee hike

There is a possibility that China would join with India in opposing the H-1B visa fee hike. On August 13, President Barack Obama signed the Border Security Bill and it has come into affect this week.

Indian IT firms are very much upset over increasing H-1B visa fee. During the India visit of Barack Obama in October, India would discuss about this matter with him. Indian companies slammed the bill as discriminatory.

The Border Security Bill aims to raise $600 million for the security of the U.S.-Mexico border. In order to procure this money American government raised its H-1B and L-1 visa fees.

Under the new law, firms who employ 50 or more employees in the U.S. with more than 50 percent of its employees in the United States in H-1B or L (including L-1A, L-1B and L-2) non-immigrant status will have to pay higher fees. 

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) firms will have to pay an additional $2000 for certain H-1B Visas and $2250 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions and this rate would remain till September 30, 2014. H-1B visa is an important thing for the technology sector.

This would cost Indian IT firms annually more money for they send many Indian workers under H-1B visa.