Business

The Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike is poised to significantly impact the Indian IT sector. Companies may explore L-1 visas, but these face limitations and increased scrutiny. Experts warn of workforce departures, offshore job movement, and a potential boost for countries like India.

Following President Trump’s executive order imposing additional fees on H-1B visas, Indian IT firms experienced a decline in their US-listed shares, with Infosys and Cognizant taking the biggest hit. Experts foresee immediate margin impacts, especially if the rule applies to existing visa holders, potentially reducing sector-wide EBITDA margins by 1% to 2%.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is traveling to the US to advance discussions for a bilateral trade agreement after a recent meeting between officials from both countries. The focus is on finding solutions to existing tariffs and negotiating a deal that ensures India’s competitiveness.

Piyush Goyal launched integrated logistics plans to cut industry transaction costs, starting with a pilot program in eight cities. A guidebook on Harmonised System of Nomenclature (HSN) codes was introduced for systematic product categorization. The upgraded Logistics Data Bank (LDB) 2.0 offers real-time shipment tracking, enhancing visibility and planning.