His latest proclamation raising the H-1B fee to a staggering $1,00,000 reflects a propensity to create chaos and unpredictability. Understandably, Trump’s bombshell sent shockwaves among Indians working in the US on H-1B visas and fresh applicants. Between October 2022 and September 2023, they accounted for 72 per cent of the nearly 4 lakh visas issued under the H-1B programme. The arbitrary and unreasonable hike in the visa fee would significantly impact the technology sector, which depends heavily on skilled workers from India and China. While the move is seen as a severe setback to the US-bound Indian professionals, it also presents a compelling counter-narrative: can we turn this adversity into advantage and the brain drain into brain gain?