Infosys, TCS, Wipro and other IT stocks in focus as Donald Trump administration proposes higher H-1B visa fee

Shares of Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and other IT stocks will be in focus in Tuesday’s trade after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a $103,265 fee on H-1B cap-subject petitions.

The proposed charge would be levied in addition to existing H-1B fees and has been outlined in a notice of proposed rulemaking issued by DHS. The proposal is not final at this stage and will go through a 30-day public comment period after its publication in the Federal Register.

DHS estimates that the new fee could generate around $8.8 billion a year, based on an estimated 85,000 H-1B cap-subject petitions annually. The proposed charge would apply to H-1B petitions that fall under the annual cap, including those eligible for the advanced-degree exemption.


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The latest proposal follows an earlier move by the Trump administration to introduce a $100,000 H-1B fee, which was subsequently struck down by a federal court. In September 2025, the administration imposed the fee through a presidential proclamation, primarily covering certain new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US. A federal judge later ruled that the fee was unlawful and vacated it nationwide. The government has appealed the ruling.

How will IT stocks be affected?

The move puts Indian technology companies in focus because of their use of the H-1B visa programme to deploy skilled workers in the US. A substantial increase in visa-related costs could affect the expenses faced by US employers hiring foreign workers through the programme.

The proposal could also add uncertainty for Indian students and professionals in the US, particularly those moving from F-1 student status and OPT to H-1B status. For employers, the higher cost of sponsoring new H-1B workers could influence decisions around hiring, talent deployment and the economics of offshore versus on-site delivery models.

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The proposed fee comes as companies and workers are already dealing with uncertainty over the legal status and implementation timeline of the Trump administration’s broader H-1B policies. The immediate impact of the proposal remains subject to its finalisation, as the $103,265 fee is not yet in effect and could be modified, delayed or challenged before implementation.

Indian nationals accounted for about 70% of approved H-1B petitions in 2024-25, according to experts. The move is therefore likely to affect Indians looking to work in the US the most. Moving to the United States for work or permanent settlement is becoming increasingly difficult as two major policy shifts add to existing challenges.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)