Retail giant Walmart Inc has paused hiring candidates who require an H-1B visa, according to a report in Bloomberg. The move comes in response to a significant policy shift by the Trump administration, which recently introduced a steep $100,000 (Approx Rs 88 lakh) fee for new H-1B applications .

On September 19, President Donald Trump introduced the fee hike on H-1B visa petitions, aiming to discourage the hiring of foreign skilled workers and encourage companies to hire American talent first. Walmart's H-1B pause shows how Trump's decision is forcing big firms to rethink hiring, hitting overseas recruitment and US competitiveness.

The move will also impact Indians, who are the largest beneficiaries of H-1B visas—70% of recipients in 2024 were Indian nationals.

Sources familiar

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