Experts say Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee could benefit Dubai. Here's why

The Donald Trump administration's recent announcement of a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas might trigger a major migration of talent to the Gulf nations, especially the UAE, recruitment consultants and education experts told Gulf News.

The US President, in a statement published by the White House, said the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program was made to get temporary workers into the country to perform “additive, high-skilled functions.” However, he noted that it has "been deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labor."

As a result, the large-scale replacement of American workers via "systemic abuse of the program has undermined both our economic and national security,” Trump added. Trump said the entry of foreign workers into the country remains restricted except for the applicants, whose petitions “are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000.”

Experts have predicted that this latest policy change could reshape global employment patterns and end up strengthening the UAE as a technology hub.

Mahesh Shahdadpuri, Founder & CEO of TASC Group of Companies, told Gulf News that the Trump administration's decision will make "both companies and talent" migrate to the UAE.

As a result, the region will offer several benefits to them, such as zero tax, an up-to-date lifestyle, and one of the world's best infrastructures, said Shahdadpuri, and added that the UAE was among the fastest growing and investing billions into artificial intelligence (AI).

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Notably, several big tech firms like Meta, Microsoft, and Google already have huge offices in the region. Shahdadpuri said companies will now look forward to “attract and hire more here (the UAE) to develop services for their global operations.”

Dubai, in particular, holds key advantages compared to other regional cities, said Dr Sathya Menon, Group CEO of Blue Ocean Corporation. "Dubai will benefit more than Singapore – Dubai is expandable, whilst Singapore has limits for expansion," Menon told Gulf News.

Also, he dubbed it as the "second home for most people," taking the Asian and Indian perspective into matter.

The legal immigration program allows employers across the United States to temporarily hire skilled foreign workers across different fields, including healthcare, tech, and finance.

Donald Trump recently signed a proclamation that requires a $100,000 payment for new H-1B visa applications that are submitted after September 21. This marks a drastic jump from the earlier fees of around $2,000 to $5,000.

As per the law, 65,000 new H-1B visas are issued on an annual basis. Additionally, 20,000 approvals remain reserved for foreign workers who hold advanced degrees from US-based colleges and universities.

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