Rosanna Berardi, Managing Partner of Berardi Immigration Law, was recently featured on Firstpost’s Spotlight to discuss the Trump administration’s newly proposed $103,265 fee on H-1B petitions and what it could mean for employers and Indian applicants, who make up the largest share of H-1B visa holders.
In the interview, Rosanna walked through why the eye-popping fee amount matters as much for its messaging as for its mechanics. Asked whether a fee that size effectively prices sponsorship out of reach for all but the largest companies, she was candid about the administration’s strategy:
“The message today is do not panic. This is a proposed rule.”
Rosanna explained that the proposal is not yet in effect. It is a draft rule that will go through a public comment period before, if ever, becoming final, and she encouraged Indian nationals both inside and outside the U.S. to stay in close contact with their employers and immigration counsel rather than assume the worst. She also pushed back on the idea that companies would rather outsource jobs abroad than sponsor talent, pointing to persistent U.S. labor shortages in tech, medicine, and high-level research that foreign nationals help fill.
The conversation also touched on two related proposals in the same package: an expanded fee tied to Optional Practical Training (OPT) and a plan to eliminate the current 60-day grace period international students and other visa holders have after losing a job. Rosanna called the combination “vastly unfair” to students who have invested years and significant money in a U.S. education, only to face steep new costs and shrinking timelines at the finish line.
Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltqr8qzg2YI
Immigration policy is shifting fast, and proposed rules like this one can create real anxiety even before they’re finalized. Berardi Immigration Law is closely monitoring the H-1B fee proposal, the OPT fee, and the grace period changes as they move through the rulemaking process. If you have questions about how these proposals could affect your case or your workforce, click here to contact us today.
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