Chinese, Indian professionals are starting to leave US over visa costs
Indian and Chinese technology professionals are returning home in rising numbers as layoffs, higher visa costs and repeated changes to H-1B rules squeeze foreign workers out of the U.S. job market.
Over 15,000 Indian professionals returned to India in 2025, compared to 9,800 in 2024 and 7,300 by June, according to Xpheno. Meanwhile, around 9,100 Indian professionals moved to the U.S. during the same period. The gap between departures and returns has been decreasing since 2023. In September 2025, President Donald Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed by beneficiaries outside the U.S., according to the proclamation.
However, a federal judge struck down the fee on June 8, finding that the executive branch had exceeded its authority. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed it would stop collecting the fee, with appeal proceedings set to conclude on October 16. The fee, which is $4,000 for H-1B extension petitions, expires by its own terms on September 20 unless extended.
The visa is granted for up to three years, with extensions possible only if a green card application is pending. Indian nationals made up 71% of approved petitions in fiscal 2024, while Chinese nationals accounted for about 12%.
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