Visa fee hike leaves midcap IT largely untouched

Mid-cap IT services firms appear reasonably cushioned from the steep escalation in H-1B visa fees announced by the US administration earlier this year, a move that sent tremors through the broader tech outsourcing industry. The revised structure has pushed filing charges for new petitions to as high as $100,000, prompting anxiety over the cost and viability of maintaining large onsite workforces. Yet, commentary from midcap firms through the second quarter earnings suggests the exposure is far less direct than initially feared.