$100K H-1B Fee Puts U.S. Tech Innovation at Risk: Immigrant Founders Speak Out

Last week, the Biden administration blindsided the tech world with a new executive order slapping a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications. The move sent shockwaves across Silicon Valley, Seattle, and every tech hub that depends on highly skilled immigrant talent. For many, it wasn’t just a policy change—it was a direct threat to the pipeline of innovation that has fueled the U.S. economy for decades.

Shirish Nadkarni, a Microsoft veteran and serial entrepreneur who immigrated from India, knows this story firsthand. His startups were acquired by BlackBerry and Rosetta Stone, and his new book, The Indian American Tech Success Story, makes the case that immigrant founders—especially from India—are not competitors, they’re America’s greatest economic asset.

During a recent podcast conversation, Nadkarni pointed to history as proof. The Hart-Celler Act of 1965, which opened U.S. doors to skilled immigrants from countries like India and China, coincided perfectly with the rise of the tech industry. Graduates from elite institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) helped create Silicon Valley, Seattle’s booming tech ecosystem, and the foundations of today’s startup culture.

“This wave of innovation wasn’t an accident,” Nadkarni said. “It was the result of policies that understood talent is more important than nationality. If we stop that, we stop progress.”

The new H-1B fee threatens to undo decades of this progress. Nadkarni points to the current green-card backlog, which for Indian applicants stretches over a decade, as a bottleneck that has already discouraged top talent from choosing the U.S. If this fee stands, the consequences could be catastrophic—not just for startups, but for the U.S. position in the global race for AI and advanced technologies.

“How are we going to compete with China if we don’t take advantage of the best talent around the world?” Nadkarni asked.

He called for immigration reforms that unlock entrepreneurial potential, from dedicated startup visas to eliminating country caps. Even with this setback, Nadkarni remains optimistic. He believes the best minds in the world will continue to find a way to contribute to the U.S. economy, keeping American innovation alive.

But one thing is clear: policies like the $100K H-1B fee are a direct threat to the country’s future, and the clock is ticking before the U.S. loses the talent it needs to lead in technology and innovation.