Washington: President Donald Trump’s aggressive overhaul of the H-1B visa programme has sent shockwaves through corporate boardrooms, prompting major US firms to rethink their global strategies — and handing India a potential windfall in the process.
With application fees skyrocketing from $2,000–5,000 to a staggering $100,000 for new petitions effective September 21, companies reliant on foreign talent to bridge critical skill gaps are eyeing a swift pivot towards offshoring high-value operations.
Industry experts predict this policy will accelerate the shift of finance, research and development, and tech roles to India, bolstering the nation’s 1,700 Global Capability Centres (GCCs)— which already account for over half the world’s total.
These hubs, evolving from mere support units to innovation powerhouses, now spearhead everything from luxury car dashboard designs to drug discovery, blending global expertise with strong local leadership.
“GCCs are uniquely positioned for this moment, ready to function as in-house engines,” says Rohan Lobo, Partner at Deloitte India and a GCC industry leader. He reveals that several US giants are already reassessing workforce needs, with plans underway in finance and tech sectors — especially those tied to federal contracts. Lobo anticipates GCCs evolving into “more strategic, innovation-led mandates” over time.
The changes stem from Trump’s September proclamation, which curbs H-1B entries and imposes the hefty fee to protect American jobs, alongside a bipartisan Senate bill tightening rules on H-1B and L-1 programmes.
Experts like Lalit Ahuja, Founder and CEO of ANSR, consider it an “immediate imperative,” having aided GCC setups for FedEx, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Target, and Lowe’s. Former Cognisant India MD Ramkumar Ramamoorthy warns it could spur “excessive offshoring”, echoing lessons from the Covid-19 era that key tech work can thrive anywhere.
Top H-1B sponsors like Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Google, JPMorgan Chase, and Walmart — all with deep India footprints — remain tight-lipped on this politically-charged issue.
As restrictions bite, India’s GCC ecosystem stands poised to capture the exodus, potentially supercharging its economy amid global talent realignments.