Major companies like Meta and Microsoft held urgent talks on Saturday morning. They asked all their H-1B visa holders not to leave the US for at least 14 days.
This comes after President Donald Trump launched a new crackdown on immigrants and put limits on legal immigration.
Internal mails show that the companies also told employees living outside the US to return within 24 hours. Otherwise, they may face denial of re-entry.
The emails advised foreign workers to follow the rules for a “foreseeable future.” Meta asked H-1B visa and H4 status holders to stay in the US for two weeks. The company said this will help till “practical applications” are clear. It also asked those abroad to return quickly.
Microsoft gave a stronger warning. It told employees in the US to stay put to avoid re-entry issues. It also asked workers outside the country to “do best to return.”
The H-1B visa program is for people in specialty jobs, mostly in technology. It covers software engineers, tech managers and IT professionals. The visa is valid for three years and can be extended for another three.
On Friday, Trump raised the annual H-1B visa fee to $100,000. Earlier it was $215. The move will hit Indians the most, as many are hired by tech companies.
While signing the order at the White House, Trump said the goal is to “hire American workers.” His team said the plan will protect local jobs but still allow companies to bring in “extraordinary people.”
If these rules hold up in court, they will cause huge fee increases. Investor visas, common in Europe, will also rise from $10,000 to $20,000 a year.
The government also announced a new Gold Card visa program. It includes Trump Gold Card, Trump Platinum Card, and Trump Corporate Gold Card. These cards will give special privileges. They aim to replace work visas that led to citizenship, including for professors, scientists, artists and athletes.
India is the top user of H-1B visas. Last year, it got 71% of the approvals. China was second with 11.7%, according to government data.