New Delhi: Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has urged Indian professionals in the United States to consider returning home in the wake of a sharp hike in H1B visa fees, saying India today offers abundant opportunities for talented individuals.

The appeal comes after US President Donald Trump ordered the H1B visa fee to be raised to USD 100,000 (around Rs 88 lakh). Under the new rule, American companies hiring foreign workers will have to pay the amount to the government, a move that industry observers say will severely impact Indian professionals.

Following the announcement, major companies such as Microsoft, Amazon and Meta reportedly advised their overseas employees to return to the US by September 21.

In a post on X, Vembu compared the situation of H1B holders with the plight of Sindhi families who rebuilt their lives in India after losing everything during Partition. “Indians on H1B visas should not live in fear. Return to your homeland, make bold decisions. It may take five years to rebuild your life, but you will emerge stronger. Today's India offers a lot of opportunities for talented people,” he wrote.

Vembu, who worked in the US before returning to India to establish Zoho, said the visa fee hike could trigger a reverse migration that would benefit the country's technology and startup ecosystem. With India's digital economy and capital markets expanding, experts believe global firms will increasingly set up R&D centres here, creating fertile opportunities for skilled professionals.