Tue Sep 23 21:10:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:

**Summary:**

The OECD’s chief economist, Alvaro Pereira, warns that the new $100,000 fee for US H-1B visas, impacting the tech industry, could harm the US economy by deterring high-skilled migrants, especially in the booming AI sector where there are significant labor shortages. Despite upgrading the global growth forecast to 3.2%, the OECD acknowledges that the US economy is expected to slow due to tariffs, workforce cuts, and immigration restrictions. The impact of tariffs has been delayed by companies importing goods ahead of time, but the OECD is already observing signs of slower growth and increased inflation. High-skilled immigrants are vital to US economy, but new visa fee rules might affect labour growth.

**News Article:**

**OECD Warns U.S. Visa Fee Hike Threatens Tech Sector, Economic Growth**

**Paris –** A new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas in the United States, heavily utilized by the tech industry, is a serious threat to economic growth in the US, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Alvaro Pereira, outgoing chief economist of the OECD, has warned that the fee could deter vital high-skilled migrants at a time when the sector is booming and there are significant labor shortages.

In an interview accompanying the release of the OECD’s updated global economic outlook, Pereira emphasized the importance of attracting skilled individuals to the US, particularly in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. The OECD, a group of 38 wealthy nations, upgraded its global growth forecast to 3.2% for 2025, citing greater resilience in the first half of the year.

However, the OECD’s outlook for the U.S. economy is more cautious. While raising the U.S. growth forecast slightly to 1.8%, the organization warned of a slowdown due to the impact of tariffs imposed by President Trump, reductions in the federal workforce, and stricter immigration policies.

“There’s obviously less labor growth, and less labor growth means that obviously this will impact total GDP,” Pereira explained. He noted the OECD report was finalized before the new H-1B visa fee was implemented.

H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills, such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers. Indian nationals account for a large percentage of permits allotted each year. The U.S. and Germany currently face the most acute labor shortages in the ICT sector among OECD countries.

The OECD report also addressed the impact of US tariffs. The effects have been delayed as companies front-loaded imports to avoid the levies. However, the OECD is beginning to see signs of slower economic growth and increasing inflation.

“The impact of tariffs is taking longer to reach the economy,” Pereira said. “A lot of firms decided to act and export a stockpile (to) the United States … to avoid the tariffs.”

The OECD’s warning comes amid growing concerns about the future of innovation and competitiveness in the U.S. should the country choose policies that discourage skilled immigration.

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