The Donald Trump administration has introduced a new set of stringent vetting rules for H-1B visa applicants, further tightening the approval process for highly skilled foreign workers. The move follows the significant fee hike announced in September, which raised the H-1B visa application cost to $100,000.

H-1B visas remain vital for US technology companies, especially those recruiting talent from India and China. Several leaders in the American tech industry publicly supported Trump during last year’s presidential election.

State Department Issues New Rejection Guidelines

According to a Reuters report, an internal US State Department memo outlines updated rules instructing consular officers to screen applicants for involvement in activities that could be categorized as “censorship” of

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