The H1B fee hike

 There are tons of discussions on media - social or otherwise about USA hiking the H1B Visa fee for all new applicant by 100 times from the current $1,000 to a hefty $100,000 (About 88 lakh Indian Rupees). This is a gargantuan amount which is certainly going to act as a deterrent, drastically reducing the number of new H1B applicants. India is the center of attention on this imbroglio as 71% of the H1B applicants for this coveted Visa are Indians, which is considered a path towards the coveted US green card and citizenship, the ultimate goal to attain the American dream for many.

Approval of Visa is the prerogative of any country. A nation has retains its rights to increase or decrease the number and fees, change Visa rules and regulations depending on the demands and circumstances, both economic and political. Regardless Visa is given at any nation's discretion. Getting a Visa is a privilege not an entitlement. Is the decision good, bad or ugly on short and long term for India and USA, the two major nations at the center of attention of H1B ? Only time will vindicate that. Rest, especially the majority on social media who have no idea what H1B is, having very little knowledge about it and little knowledge can be a dangerous thing - contributing to the prevalent chaos and confusion.

Many say that returning H1Bs will contribute towards entrepreneurship in India. That's possible, but easier said than done. Two things need to be noted. First of all, the overwhelming majority of H1Bs are job seekers not job creators. Secondly, the Neta (Politican) and Babu (Bureaucrat) dominated ecosystem in India hardly acts as a catalyst for entrepreneurship.

H1B also has its pros and cons. H1B holders have not only contributed to the growth of the company they work for in America, being high end wage earners they make their share of contribution to the US economy. They pay taxes, buy houses, cars, consumer durables and non durables, eat at restaurants, spend money on vacation etc. It is true that most of them are positive contributors.

But it is also true that, the H1B has been long abused. The Visa holders are often paid 30-40% less than the market rate as the profit in leau of it caters to corporate greed. That is just part of it. There has been accusations of fake degree holders brought into the United States as highky qualified techies only to end up working here in gas stations,grocery stores etc, some even work as prostitutes. Sometime back a juicy story circulated around about two sisters on H1B pleasing their employer making a good sandwich of him, occasionally shared by the employer's son. The father, so and the two female holy spirits reportedly had a good time until their luck ended as the authorities found out.

If true, this incident reminds me of the better known Odia proverb -

BATA RE HAGILE NA PADE
DEULA TOLILE NA PADE ..
Transliterated..

"If you shit by the roadside you get fame,
if you build a temple you also get fame."

While most H1B holders depict the temple part, a few are exactly busy doing the road side act. Unforunately its human tendency to go after confirmation bias formed due to activities of a obnoxious few than exemplery behavior displayed by the overwhelming majority.

More than the slamming of astronomical fee for H1B Visa or 50% tariff imposed on imports from India, the way these things have been implemented in an insulting manner to India is thought provoking. There is a double standard in US tariff policy as China hasn't been sanctioned any tariff for buying oil from Russia while India has been sanctioned 25% just for that. Obviously all pompous talk and hot air blown about us being "Vishwaguru" (Supreme world leader) and all the surrounding fake jingoism has fallen flat. That's because unlike India China knows America's choking points where it can hit hard, and can drive a hard bargain with Uncle Sam. India on the other hand has been taken for a ride.

It is said that India is most compromised as far as America goes as the children of India's elite, especially the all powerful politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen live, study or work in the United States which prevents them from acting tough against Americans. There is some truth to that considered the laid-back approach of Indian government. So far the Government of India has been caught napping or rather cause like a fox in front of headlight. Its response has been frugal, inconsistent and its actions incoherent. It has been suggested that India's PM Modi should call an all party meeting to take stock of the situation and formulate a coherent foreign policy with a solid 56 inch response in action, not by oratory and optics. Inaction is not an option. Like justice delayed is justice denied, action delayed is inaction, until Dolaand Trump catering to his MAGA base comes up with another bombshell.