'Bigger problem is stunning silence of Union Govt': Aaditya Thackeray after H1-B visa fee hike

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 21 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed the Central government after the US announced the new USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, stating that the move by the Trump administration will not only hit lakhs of working professionals from India, but also the companies that hire them.

He also said that if 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India' were actually implemented on the ground, then the situation would not have been so "chaotic".

In a post on X, Aaditya Thackeray said, "The problem isn't only the onslaught, the bigger problem is the stunning silence of the Union Government. If "Atmanirbhar Bharat", "Make in India", and such other slogans had been actually implemented, it wouldn't have been so chaotic. The weakening rupee against the dollar and the tariffs have hit us hard, and as flowery or brave as the ruling party's talk may sound, we need to look at the stark reality."


"Now the H1B visa fee! It's going to hit not just lakhs of working professionals from India, but also the companies that hire them. And the many more thousands of young aspirations that have been working towards building a career and a better world," he added.

Thackeray further said that while the Indian-US relationship was "great" for the world, "silence" from the Indian government was "absolute darkness" for those who were dependent on it.

Trump's order mandates companies to pay USD100,000 for H-1B visa petitions, aiming to curb perceived abuses and prioritise American workers. US President Donald Trump's residential proclamation titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers" imposed a USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications.

Trump's order may impact Indians as they comprise about 70% of H-1B visa holders, making them significantly affected by this policy shift.