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Hyderabad, India — The metropolis of Hyderabad has been called the Silicon Valley of India.
"Google, Facebook, and each the different bigger companies are here," Rajesh Jaknalli, who has worked for a U.S. tech institution successful Hyderabad for astir 10 years, told CBS News.
"This spot is really called High Tech City, but due to the fact that of the galore companies that we have, the word 'Cyberabad' has come," Jaknalli explained.
Jaknalli says helium has worked present with 1 goal, to get an accidental to 1 time determination to the U.S.
"Our imagination was to perform, springiness you 100%, and past probably, we'll get a accidental to determination to the U.S.," Jaknalli said.
But in September 2025, the Trump medication announced that it would require that a $100,000 interest beryllium added to caller applications for H-1B visas for skilled overseas workers. The White House argued the determination would support American jobs.
Prior to this, H-1B visas had ranged successful outgo from anyplace betwixt $1,700 and $4,500.
Hameed Abdul thought his Amazon occupation successful Hyderabad would yet instrumentality him to the U.S., but that outlook has changed.
"I got this news, and I was truly devastated," Abdul said. "...It's not beneficial for immoderate employer, to beryllium honest. Nobody's going to prosecute you and springiness $100,000," said Abdul, who disclosed that the interest means helium has "decided to determination to Canada."
Xavier Fernandes, who founded the migration bureau Y-Axis, says the H-1B visa created a pipeline of tech endowment that yet fueled America's IT sector.
"It's decidedly America's loss," Fernandes said of the fee. "…Many CEOs are from Hyderabad. It's conscionable a breeding crushed of tech."
According to numbers from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, much than 70% of H-1B visa holders successful 2024 were Indian.
"Indians are the caller oil, coal, oregon gas, it's encephalon powerfulness to tally the modern time industries," Fernandes said.
Pressed connected whether helium believes that aforesaid "brain power" exists successful the U.S., Fernandes responded: "That benignant of endowment you can't manufacture. It's not a happening that you tin get it locally."
It's thing adjacent President Trump admitted to successful an interrogation connected Fox News past November, telling big Laura Ingraham that "you besides bash person to bring successful talent."
When Ingraham countered that the U.S. has "plenty of talented radical here," Mr. Trump responded, "No you don't...You don't person definite talents, and radical person to learn."
Fernandes believes the caller argumentation "definitely" threatens the trajectory of U.S. innovation.
"Many Indians volition enactment backmost and physique successful India," Fernandes said.
Countries similar Canada, China and Australia are present scrambling to lure skilled overseas workers by making their visa processes easier.
"I'm presently applying to Australia," Jaknalli said. "The process is beauteous straightforward there."
In:
Analyzing interaction of Trump's changes to H-1B visas
How Trump's alteration to H-1B visas is impacting workers with aspirations to travel to the U.S.
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