Law firms in India are looking for ways to tackle the new H-1B regulations, according to a report by Mint. Under the updated rules, U.S. companies—especially tech firms—must now pay a $100,000 fee for each new applicant.
Top Indian companies like Tata Consultancy Services, Cognizant, Infosys, LTI Mindtree, and Wipro alone had reportedly sent around 13,332 employees to the U.S. on H-1B visas during the first half of 2025, according to a back-of-the-envelope calculation based on data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Abe Abraham, a partner at law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said that a possible solution is to have employees work from GCCs in India, or find a temporary placement outside the U.S.
This approach has been echoed by many, with Rohan Lobo, partner and GCC industry leader at Deloitte India, stating, “GCCs are uniquely positioned for this moment. They serve as a ready in-house engine,” he stressed that he was aware of many U.S. companies currently rethinking their workforce requirements. Lobo added that plans were already underway for the transition.
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Gerald Manoharan, a partner at JSA Advocates and Solicitors, told Mint that most fresh graduates and recent recruits, who were trained for U.S.-based roles, are now left with choices like accepting a lower salary or taking a flexible work-from-India role.
LawQuest’s Managing Partner Poorvi Chothani brought up the lack of clarity surrounding the regulations, saying, “Until now, when there is a transfer of employment, the new employer has to pay all the required fees of a new petition. But now, there is no clarity if the same rule will apply to the new $100,000 fee.” Experts believe that the dependency of H1-B will go down as firms increase hiring in the U.S.
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The White House recently clarified that the fee will be a one-time payment imposed on new applicants, setting some uncertainties to rest. Before White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a clarification, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had announced that the steep fee hike would be charged annually and apply to both new visa applicants and renewals.
The statement caused alarm among current H-1B workers, who feared they might need to pay the fee just to return. While some industry experts said they expect no immediate impact over the next six to 12 months—since the hike takes effect only in the upcoming application cycle—others cautioned that the eventual cost could force IT companies to reassess their business strategies if the rule remains in place.