The US education-to-employment route is becoming costlier for Indian students. Annual costs at 16 colleges have crossed $100,000, while a proposed $103,265 H-1B employer fee could complicate post-study hiring. Meanwhile, Indian first-year applications to US colleges have fallen 14%.

The proposed fee of $103,265 fee by DHS has been posted online in the Federal Register on Monday to be formally published on Tuesday. | World News

The proposal by DHS comes just an earlier $100,000 H-1B visa fee — which was announced by Donald Trump as a presidential proclamation in September 2025 and subsequently halted by…