After wave of panic, impact of US visa hike still unclear

Rushing back, staying put

Some H-1B workers were abroad when the Sept 19 announcement came. Many of them cut their trips short and tried to get back to the US before the Sept 21 deadline, to avoid paying the $100,000 fee.

"My best friend, whom I grew up with, was getting married on Sept 20. I promised to be her maid of honor a year ago," one Chinese woman posted on social media.

"I arrived in Shanghai on Sept 18. On Sept 20, half way through the wedding as the maid of honor, I rushed to the airport to get back to the US. I didn't even have time to see my parents and family."

A video on social media showed H-1B workers from India onboard an Emirates flight leaving from San Francisco, California, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, speaking anxiously on their phones shortly after the announcement. They had received calls from their employers and were advised not to depart the US.

The Indian passengers requested to disembark, and the airline agreed to let them get off, delaying the flight's departure by three hours.

Many H-1B visa holders either canceled trips or ended trips prematurely due to the announcement, according to online posts and reports. Some paid hefty prices, ranging from a few thousand dollars to more than $10,000, to get back to the US.

In the end, their fears turned out to be unfounded after the Trump administration clarified that the fee is a one-time payment for new applications only.

"I wish the government was more precise in releasing policy information. The confusion cost me money and time with my family. Such a waste of money, time and emotion," one H-1B holder told China Daily on condition of anonymity.

A human resources specialist based in the Silicon Valley, California, told China Daily that Trump's proclamation had caused a lot of chaos. In Big Tech companies, foreign engineers are worrying about job security. "Everyone is struggling to keep up, it's tough," the specialist said.