Tech firms scrambled to respond to Donald Trump’s proposal to charge $100,000 for H-1B visas. Large tech companies use the visas to employ foreign graduates; an H-1B currently costs around $2,500. The initial confusion about whether the change would apply to existing visa holders was cleared up by the White House, which said it would not. Amazon, Microsoft and others had told staff on an H-1B not to leave America in case they couldn’t re-enter. Indian nationals account for 75% of the visas. Although many in Silicon Valley support the programme, Mr Trump claims it undercuts American workers.
