On September 21, a landmark executive order is set to take effect in the United States, one that will dramatically reshape the country’s technology and talent landscape for years to come. President Trump has signed a directive raising the H-1B visa application fee from $1,000 to an astounding $100,000 per year per employee. This unprecedented increase makes it virtually impossible for most U.S. businesses to continue hiring highly skilled foreign experts through the H‑1B program—a practice that companies have relied upon for decades to fill critical technology gaps.
The most disruptive element of this policy is that the $100,000 is non-refundable, even if a visa application is denied. For companies that have historically depended on international IT specialists, software engineers, data scientists, and system architects, this creates a harsh new reality: the cost of bringing in skilled talent may now outweigh the benefits.
While the stated goal of the order is to protect American jobs, the unintended consequence could be far more complex. Instead of filling these roles with U.S.-based talent—a workforce that already has a severe shortage of qualified IT professionals—many companies will simply look elsewhere to maintain competitiveness. That “elsewhere” will be remote work and outsourcing.
The Rise of Remote Work as a Direct Consequence
Over the past decade, businesses across America have gradually warmed to the idea of remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption, proving that distributed teams could outperform traditional on-site setups. The new H‑1B fee hike adds fuel to this trend by giving companies a financial incentive to consider outsourcing talent instead of importing it.
If hiring a foreign developer onsite in the U.S. costs $100,000 annually just in visa fees—before even paying their salary and benefits—then outsourcing suddenly becomes the smarter, faster, and more sustainable choice. Rather than navigating immigration hurdles, companies can:
- Hire dedicated developers through trusted offshore partners.
- Use IT staff augmentation to fill temporary skill gaps without overhead.
- Engage in project outsourcing for specific software and digital transformation needs.
By turning global instead of local, U.S. companies gain access to the same talented workforce—without any of the bureaucratic headache.
Why Sri Lanka is Emerging as a Key IT Outsourcing Hub
India has long been the go-to destination for American businesses seeking outsourcing partnerships. However, there is increasing recognition of neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, which is quickly rising to prominence in South Asia’s technology ecosystem. Several factors make Sri Lanka an ideal outsourcing hub:
- Highly skilled IT professionals: Sri Lanka has invested heavily in STEM education, producing graduates who are fluent in globally relevant technologies.
- Cost-effective services: The country offers world-class talent at a fraction of the cost of hiring in the United States.
- Time zone advantage: Sri Lanka’s time zone overlaps effectively with both Europe and the U.S., enabling seamless collaboration and round-the-clock productivity.
- Cultural alignment: As a former British colony with strong ties to Western nations, Sri Lankan professionals have excellent English communication skills and cultural adaptability.
Where India is often seen as an overcrowded outsourcing marketplace, Sri Lanka represents a growing, flexible, and highly customer-focused alternative.
Era Biz Solutions: Your Strategic Outsourcing Partner
At Era Biz Solutions, we recognize that this shift in the H-1B visa program marks not just a challenge, but an opportunity for forward-thinking U.S. businesses. For years, we have been working closely with clients in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, offering tailored outsourcing solutions that deliver measurable improvements in efficiency and cost savings.
Here’s why more companies are choosing to hire dedicated developers, embrace IT staff augmentation, and rely on project outsourcing with Era Biz Solutions:
- Access to pre-vetted experts: We maintain a carefully curated pool of software engineers, cloud architects, UX designers, and project managers who can integrate seamlessly with your teams.
- Scalable engagement models: Whether you need one specialist on a contract basis or an entire offshore development team, we can scale to your company’s specific needs.
- Faster time-to-market: With critical IT roles filled instantly through outsourcing, your projects don’t stall due to local hiring shortages.
- Reduced operational risk: Outsourcing with Era Biz eliminates the risks associated with visa dependency, compliance costs, or sudden legislative changes in U.S. immigration policy.
- Proven track record: We have successfully delivered projects across FinTech, HealthTech, eCommerce, and enterprise-grade SaaS platforms for global clients.
Why U.S. Companies Cannot Afford to Wait
The reality is that America already faces a shortage of more than 1 million unfilled technology jobs. Even without Trump’s executive order, relying only on local hiring is not enough to fulfill the market’s needs. By making foreign hiring cost-prohibitive, this executive order widens the gap further.
If American businesses want to stay competitive in fast-moving markets like AI, machine learning, data security, and mobile development, they need to act immediately. Outsourcing with trusted partners like Era Biz Solutions allows them to bypass hiring struggles and refocus on their core business goals.
Advantages of Outsourcing to Era Biz Solutions
- Hire Dedicated Developers: Skilled professionals committed exclusively to your project, acting as an extension of your in-house team.
- IT Staff Augmentation: Rapidly scale your workforce with qualified experts for short-term or long-term needs.
- Project Outsourcing: Delegate entire projects, from conception to deployment, handled by our expert teams.
- Cost Optimization: Save up to 60% on development costs compared to U.S.-based hiring.
- Global Time Zone Coverage: Around-the-clock development ensures shorter turnaround times and faster project delivery.
- Focus on Innovation: Free up your internal teams to focus on strategy and product development, while our experts handle execution.
Realigning Strategies Beyond Borders
What President Trump may not have anticipated is that raising barriers at the national level does not eliminate the global demand for skilled IT professionals. In fact, it accelerates globalization of the workforce. Companies that once allocated millions toward visa sponsorships are now much more likely to open offshore offices—or partner with firms like Era Biz Solutions to access talent remotely.
This executive order could ironically give remote work its biggest boost yet, as CIOs, CTOs, and HR leaders begin to seek long-term outsourcing partners that ensure resilience against unpredictable policy shifts. For forward-looking businesses, outsourcing is no longer optional—it is essential.
Conclusion
The economic and technological impact of the H‑1B visa fee hike will reverberate in every industry. From startups needing to scale quickly, to Fortune 500 companies executing large-scale digital transformation projects, the demand for skilled IT talent cannot simply be legislated away. The world has become borderless, and the smartest businesses will adapt by building international partnerships.
Era Biz Solutions stands ready to be that partner. By choosing to hire dedicated developers, embracing IT staff augmentation, and engaging in project outsourcing with us, your company gains access to world-class talent—without the risks, costs, and restrictions of the new H-1B landscape.
For businesses struggling with the question of “where do we find the talent we need?” the answer is clear: look beyond local, and look to Era Biz Solutions.
We invite you to visit our Era Biz Solutions Blog for more insights on outsourcing, digital transformation, and strategies to stay competitive in this rapidly changing business environment.