Google campus in Mountain View, California on Wednesday May 10, 2023. Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty Images

A wave of panic and confusion has spread through Indian communities and the global tech industry, following US President Donald Trump’s surprise order imposing a $100,000 fee for the H-1B visa, impacting the largest group of beneficiaries of the skilled-worker program.

The initial announcement on Friday ignited immediate and widespread confusion, culminating in chaotic scenes like the one aboard an Emirates flight from San Francisco to Dubai. The plane was stuck on the tarmac for three hours as H-1B holders scrambled to understand if they would be able to re-enter the country.

Video of the incident verified by CNN appears to show the captain attempting to calm the nerve

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