The Trump administration's abrupt decision to slap a US$100,000 ($151,598) fee on H-1B visas has stunned and confused employers, students and workers from the United States to India and beyond.

Since announcing the decision Friday, the White House has tried to reassure jittery companies that the fee does not apply to existing visa holders and that their H-1B employees travelling abroad will not be stranded, unable to re-enter the US without coming up with US$100,000. The new policy took effect at 12.01am Eastern time Sunday.

Despite the effort at reassurance, "there's still some folks out there recommending to their H-1B employees that they not travel right now until it's a little clearer,'' Leon Rodriguez, a partner at the Seyfarth law firm who was director of US Citizenship and I

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