India’s tech professionals in Silicon Valley face an uncertain future due to proposed US visa changes, with many struggling to secure a Green Card and fearing exploitation under the H-1B visa program.
Indian tech workers in the United States are facing an uncertain future due to Donald Trump‘s proposed changes to the H-1B visa program. The temporary visa, designed to fill labor gaps in the US market, has been criticized for its misuse by employers who exploit foreign workers.
Kabir, an engineer from India working at a Silicon Valley startup, is one of many skilled immigrants struggling to secure a Green Card, which would grant him permanent residency and allow him to work and live in the US indefinitely. However, with a million applicants ahead of him, his estimated wait time for a Green Card is 108 years.
The H-1B visa program was created in 1990 to address labor shortages in the US. However, experts argue that it has failed to work as intended, with employers using it to substitute, compete against, and undermine native employees on the US labor market. Highly skilled tech workers from India are often exploited due to H-1B visa rules, which make them vulnerable to job loss and deportation.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. To qualify, applicants must have a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field and meet the requirements of the Labor Condition Application (LCA). The cap for new H-1B visas is 85,000 per fiscal year, with an additional 20,000 visas reserved for holders of advanced degrees from U.S. institutions. The application process typically involves filing Form I-129 with U.S. 'Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)' and obtaining a visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
Vivek Wadhwa, CEO of Vionix Biosciences, describes this situation as an ‘industry loophole’ and a ‘dark secret’ of Silicon Valley. Despite being one of the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B visa program, many tech giants prefer to hire foreign workers over Green Card applicants due to their stability and lower salaries.
Vivek Wadhwa is an Indian-American entrepreneur, author, and academic.
He co-founded several companies, including Rel8tion, a social networking platform for entrepreneurs.
Wadhwa also serves as a distinguished fellow at the Center for Generational Studies and a fellow of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Fostering Creativity for Entrepreneurship.
He has written extensively on topics such as entrepreneurship, innovation, and 'immigration policy.'
Tech industry leaders have grown close to Trump during his presidential campaign, securing front-row seats at his inauguration. This close relationship has led some to argue that they will influence Trump‘s policy decisions on H-1B visas. However, this has also created tension among Indian tech workers who are concerned about the impact of these changes on their livelihoods.
The likely shift in visa policy is particularly important for Indian professionals, who make up over 70% of all H-1B visa holders. However, this change could also lead to a reduction in profits for Indian IT services companies, which rely heavily on H-1B visas to run their outsourcing business.
In response to the uncertainty surrounding H-1B visas, many skilled immigrants are choosing to return to India and build their own companies. Vivek Wadhwa predicts that within the next five to 10 years, India will have multiple Silicon Valleys, with Indian entrepreneurs driving innovation and growth in the country.
The proposed changes to the H-1B visa program have sent shockwaves through the US tech industry, leaving many Indian tech workers feeling uncertain about their future. While some argue that these changes are necessary to address labor shortages, others warn of the potential consequences for skilled immigrants who rely on these visas to support themselves and their families. As the debate surrounding H-1B visas continues, one thing is clear: the future of skilled immigration in the US will have far-reaching implications for the country’s economy and society.
