The United States’ new $100,000 (Rs 88 lakh) fee for high-skilled H-1B visas has triggered anxiety across the medical community. While the tech industry is expected to bear the brunt, physicians are also caught in uncertainty.
While the White House has hinted at possible exemptions for physicians and medical residents, no blanket relief has been announced, leaving thousands of Indian doctors in limbo.
This uncertainty is significant because one in four US doctors is an international medical graduate, and one in five immigrant doctors is of Indian origin. Federal data shows more than 76 million Americans live in regions facing a shortage of primary care physicians, with projections warning of a deficit of over 87,000 doctors by 2037. Indian physicians have long filled critical gaps, particularly in rural and underserved areas where American doctors are reluctant to practice.
President Donald Trump’s September 19 executive order imposes the fee on new H-1B petitions but allows exemptions if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that hiring foreign workers is in the ‘national interest.’ A White House spokesperson clarified that physicians and medical residents fall within the scope of possible exemptions.
Immigration lawyers note that, unlike during pandemic-era travel bans when doctors were explicitly categorized as essential, this order leaves the status of physicians vague. For now, hospitals must assume the $100,000 fee applies to new physician H-1B petitions.
Professional bodies including the American Medical Association and American Hospital Association have urged the administration to exempt doctors from the steep charge, stressing their indispensable role in preventing a deeper physician crisis. Experts warn that without clarity, teaching hospitals and mid-sized institutions may hesitate to sponsor Indian doctors, risking further strain on an already overburdened US healthcare system.
For now, both US hospitals and Indian physicians remain caught in uncertainty, awaiting a clear decision on whether doctors will be spared from Trump’s unprecedented H-1B visa fee hike.
