Trump's H-1B visa fee could have one big winner: The Middle East (www.cnbc.com)

White House plans to impose a steep new H‑1B fee — reportedly $100,000 per application, though details remain unclear — have intensified a global scramble for AI and tech talent. Gulf states, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are positioning themselves as prime beneficiaries: sovereign wealth funds, private equity and Big Tech are pouring billions into AI projects, national strategies like Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE’s National AI Strategy are driving policy, and incentives such as long-term Golden Visas (10‑year residency), creator/freelancer permits, high compensation packages and tax‑friendly regimes make the region competitive for skilled hires. For the AI/ML community this shift matters because it redirects where engineers can gain hands‑on experience building large-scale infrastructure—NEOM, AI‑powered smart cities and new data centers—that underpin production ML systems, urban AI, fintech and logistics. Employers in the Gulf tout labor‑market flexibility and faster commercialization cycles, which could accelerate talent development and regional innovation ecosystems. But adoption isn’t frictionless: concerns about geopolitical stability (regional conflicts and proximity to Iran), limited pathways to citizenship and lingering perceptions about social integration mean not all talent will relocate. The net effect may be a rebalancing of where top AI capability concentrates—potentially bolstering Gulf hubs while disadvantaging countries that tighten skilled immigration.