A sweeping increase in US H-1B visa fees has stirred renewed debate across the tech industry, especially as a long-ago post from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk defending the program has resurfaced. Under new regulations announced by the Trump administration, employers hiring foreign professionals under H-1B must now pay up to US Dollar 100,000 per application.

The fee hike has unsettled Indian professionals holding H-1B visas—who make up a significant share of recipients—raising fears of layoffs, pay restructuring, relocation, or a reverse migration. Meanwhile, Musk’s past social media statement has drawn attention: “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people is because of H1B,” he said, asserting that the system enabled talent influx that helped build companies like his. 

In that conversation, Musk also vowed to “go to war” defending the visa system against critics who seek stricter controls, arguing that skilled immigrants are essential for innovation and competitiveness. Yet his recent comments have sounded more critical, calling the current H-1B system “broken.” This contrast highlights the tension between political pressure to restrict immigration and business reliance on global talent. 

With US companies racing to comply with the new fee structure and foreign tech workers scrambling to understand the implications, the debate around H-1B is likely to intensify — both in Washington and among industry stakeholders globally.