Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 20 (ANI): Following the US government's decision to impose a USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan targeted the Centre, accusing it of 'failing' to protect Indians living abroad.

He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked the reasons behind the United States' anti-India policies.

Speaking to ANI, Muraleedharan said, 'The Trump administration is already against the Indian government. They import Indian items and have levied about 50% in taxes, along with other actions. They are planning to act against India, which reflects the attitude of the Trump government. Therefore, Narendra Modi should respond and explain why Trump is against India. Is he prepared to confront Trump? We want to understand this because he always supports American policies, but America does not support India...'

'It is a very serious issue. Prime Minister should protect Indian people working in America and other countries. That is their duty, but now the central government has failed to protect Indians living abroad,' he added.

These remarks came after US President Donald Trump's new presidential proclamation titled 'Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers', imposing a USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications. The measure, effective from September 21, aims to combat what the administration calls widespread abuse of the H-1B programme, particularly by IT outsourcing firms accused of displacing American workers and suppressing wages.

The proclamation argues that the original purpose of H-1B, to bring in highly skilled foreign talent, has been distorted, with the administration claiming that low-wage, entry-level H-1B hires have harmed American graduates and also highlights national security concerns, pointing to investigations into visa fraud and money laundering involving companies that rely heavily on the programme.

As per the order, employers must now provide proof of payment when filing H-1B petitions, with enforcement overseen by the US Departments of State and Homeland Security. Limited exemptions are available for cases deemed in the national interest.

This rise in Visa costs are likely to hit the tech cost arbitrage model where Indian software engineers and other talent were working onsite in the US, but could see the rise of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India. (ANI)