SAN FRANCISCO, USA – E be like say US President Donald Trump don carry wahala come the tech world. On Friday, he knack una with new proclamation wey go make companies pay $100,000 every year if dem wan sponsor H-1B visas for foreign workers. Na wetin we go call ‘big money’, right? This new policy fit make plenty tech companies dey sweat bp, especially those wey dey rely on skilled workers from India and China dem.
According to Trump, this new wahala go help am get ‘the best workers’ dem wey go fit bring strong skills come America. He yan say, “We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that’s what’s going to happen.” (Chai! Na serious matter be this o 😅) But na who go fit pay dia money? This fee go dey collected yearly for three years, and if you check am well, e go turn around $300,000 in total. Make I hear anyone wey fit see small entrepreneur wey dey enjoy dis kain wahala.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick don talk say all the big companies don agree for this new fee arrangement. He no forget to add say, “If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land. Train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs.” (E go reach your side without English degree? 😂)
The H-1B visa programme don dey exist since 1990, and na only 85,000 visas dey available yearly through lottery. But now, with dis new change, we fit see reduction in numbers as many companies fit no go fit hold that kind cash. Smaller tech firms, dem no go find am funny at all o!
Critics dey talk say this new fee fit kill innovation for the country as plenty smart people go find better options somewhere else. If big company like Amazon dey hustle for visas already, wetin go happen to small startups? Deedy Das, wey be partner for venture capital firm Menlo Ventures, talk say new fees fit dey disincentive to attract the world’s smartest talent to the US.
India still dey lead as di largest benefactor of H-1B visas, with dem accounting for 71% in the last year, while China mus settle for 11.7%. (E be like say, politics fit change how dem dey share bread o! 🥖)
Some people dey even question di legality of dis new fees. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, who be policy director of the American Immigration Council, talk say “Congress don only allow di government to set fees to cover di cost of adjudicating an application.” So, wetin dis mean? Na wahala wey don start be dis o!
So, we go dey watch how all dis go play out. Tech industry don dey flex muscle as dem dey push back on this new policy. Make we just dey pray say no wahala go burst for ground. Time go show if dis $100,000 fee go scatter plans for plenty companies wey dey depend on foreign talent.
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