When policy looks like a tantrum, economies pay the price. Last week’s proclamation from the White House slapped a staggering $100,000 charge on H-1B sponsorships — a move rolled out with breath-taking haste and defended as a revenue-and-protection measure by the administration. Whatever its stated objectives, the practical arithmetic and geopolitical fallout are stark: this is not a narrow reform but a blunt instrument aimed squarely at the talent bridge between India and America.

Let the numbers speak first. The H-1B system is not small: USCIS approved roughly 399,395 H-1B petitions in FY-2024, of which about 141,205 were approvals for initial employment (new entrants rather than renewals). The statutory annual cap remains 85,000 (65,000 regular slots plus 20,000 for advanced degrees).

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