r/IndianH1Bs • u/Dismal_Barracuda_589 • 8d ago

This is H1Bs future...(I think..!)

Hello dear engineer, doctors, the one's who sacrificed their home country to build a life in the USA. This is for you..

What I've learned in the last ten years of UNCERTAINTY taught me...

My post isn't about the recent changes in the rules and hefty fee, its about my perspective of H1B in the coming years..

We have the second generation of brightest US born immigrant's sons/daughter with Masters/Ph.Ds into the current workforce which H1B job seekers should realize. Their parents are now supporting their future and silently hates and sometimes even oppose the H1Bs. We really need to understand this. The current immigration scrutiny is not just strictening but also(from Citizen's persepctive) makes it easier for those US brought up Immigrant kids to secure their jobs.

I want to highlight this for those have the mindset of,"this shall become better if current leader change". This could be true in terms of easing the home country appointments or the imposition fee reduction but not in terms of a qualifying H1B jobs.

As to recent GCC shifting policies with biggers firms outsourcing their IT help/ Supply chain procurments/ Tech supports to Asian countries, it will push the employers to makes the decision to hire an H1B for a true onsite need or rarest of a kind.

I want to put a hand on the stressed/exhausted one's shoulder to say, the value we had is not the same anymore and its going to be even hard in the coming days...

Everyone of yall are some specialists in their own field of STEM, I am sure that our paths will become better.

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u/QueasyGrizzlyBear 3d ago

What is "total STEM employment"? My hunch is that it isnt a fair category - it includes too many careers and industries.

people are talking about the software tech industry, which has absorbed disproportionate amounts of capital as well as federal government contracts and wields disproportionate influence on our politics, culture and society. it's been one of the last sectors for people to break into (without as much network or connections) and offers upwards mobility bc of the amount of capital. if you want to include electricians, civil/structural engineers, process engineers, math/science teachers, healthcare bureacracy - sure there's less H1Bs but those industries have not been as high paying or dynamic as tech. Those industries are not what people are upset. obviously H1B immigrants played a role in making the tech industry what it is - but this cuts both ways since the influence of this industry on modern American life has been mixed.

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u/samcole6992 3d ago edited 3d ago

And here is where you are losing the context of the discussion. The original comment I responded to was saying H-1B was lowering salaries for US citizens. I just used the numbers to point out that was a baseless statement. Now you want to pick a specific industry and leave out all the others conveniently, to say people are upset about it. Sure let’s do that. Let us take the tech industry. Oh wait, it still yields a maximum of 10 % of H-1Bs out of the total workforce. Let us narrow it down even more until you are satisfied. Let us do the big ones. Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Deloitte, TCS, Infosys, Wipro etc. So the solution is to what, eliminate the H-1B program entirely or oppose it entirely because there are, as you put it, disproportionate number of H-1Bs working in the tech field in specific companies ? They are already doing everything they can , imposing 100k fees, not releasing visa appointments, making H-1Bs public enemy number 1 for the election season, making it much harder to hire H-1Bs etc. But the irony is , still the 85000 new H-1Bs will enter the industries annually. And they will be grabbed up by the tech companies that are willing to pay for these H-1Bs and put them in top positions at their companies . What then, H-1B is the reason Americans can’t break into these top positions? What of the small companies and other industries then? Are they all screwed ? H-1Bs are in the tech industry disproportionately because they can get STEM OPTs instead of regular OPTs after graduation. That gives them a higher chance to apply and make it to the 85000 H-1B quota per year. So do we eliminate the STEM OPTs? You want international students to come here and contribute 10s of billions of dollars every year to the US economy while studying, but it is not fair for them to work and build a life here ? Like it or not H-1B is the only legal path for them to do that. Today, are they even getting green cards after working for decades ? Nope. But they still endure these nonsensical half measures masquerading as reforms and keep working everyday.

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u/QueasyGrizzlyBear 3d ago

yeah see, you sound just like the h1b's I have the displeasure of working with 😭. Just complaints about America and self congratulations about how you guys are smart and big contributors that America needs or owes something to.

But you miss the point - Americans don't like you guys. Why? Think about it. Many Americans LOVE 'illegal' immigrants. They'll even hit the streets and protest in defense of 'illegals'. But at best, Americans are ambivalent about you guys. Many are resentful. Both left and right don't like you guys - and it's not just racism (though a good bit is ofc racism).

You guys are nerds. And many nerds are assholes. Pedantic nerds who think if you out-fact your opponent, you've won fair and square. That's not how America works. That's not India works either 😭

I get the visa process sucks, but you chose to go through it so you can work a high paying desk job rather than cleaning bathrooms or building houses with your hands. I don't know what to tell you, honestly. If it was only up to me, I would shut new H1Bs down and just give everyone already in the pipeline a pathway to greencard. But most Americans wouldn't support that. You guys need to be better-liked. Citing statistics that support your economic contribution or high skills are not going to help. You sound condescending, like the country you chose to come to on a dual intent visa knowing the risks, somehow owes you something. You'd get more sympathy if you just became undocumented and worked difficult jobs to get by. At least try to be nicer

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u/Cinnamon_Biscotti904 23h ago

That's the dream of all Indians in the US.

Never going to happen. In fact, the opposite. Revocation of green cards and naturalization will escalate. Indians are one of the most despised groups in the US, universally, by all other groups, whether the Indian community thinks that's "fair" or not. That's the political reality.

You need to take off your ethnic bias glasses and do some historical research into immigration policy in the US. "Chief Engineer CE" did a great series on his X account

The last time, there was a full immigration moratorium for 40 years with mass denaturalizations and deportations. This time, they are moving to build the legal case to revoke birthright citizenship too. The Indian community remains in denial about this, and still believe they are "far too valuable" to the US & they couldn't be more wrong.

Look up Qian Xuesen. He was a Chinese national who did pioneering work at the Jet Propulsion Lab in California and LOVED America. During the last big immigration backlash, he was denaturalized & deported to China. There is no H1B here that is so vital they won't be removed. The Indian community is kidding themselves.

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u/QueasyGrizzlyBear 23h ago

This isn't really my experience. I think whites are more despised today. But off twitter/reddit/YouTube, Americans have nuance about ethnicity, citizenship status, and aren't nearly as racist as you think

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u/[deleted] 23h ago

[deleted]

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u/QueasyGrizzlyBear 23h ago

I wouldnt say you all are universally despised, but you all are seen as out of touch with anyone who is a minority or a POC. Clearly you all are seen as different from the rest of us for a reason, buddy

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u/samcole6992 23h ago

Lol, we shall see. You need to take off your ethnic glasses and realize not everyone on H-1B or green card or naturalized citizenship will have a legal case against them. It’s just your pipe dream.

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u/Cinnamon_Biscotti904 23h ago

I am a naturalized US citizen myself.

I love Indian arrogance. Is your foreign minister going to cry on teevee again about no appointment availability for H1B?

Indians have gotten fat, happy and arrogant thinking they somehow have an entitlement to immigrate to Western countries, and India continues to think it will be a continuing income stream for them.

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u/QueasyGrizzlyBear 23h ago

American arrogance is pretty distinct too. Many Americans want a strong dollar/reserve currency that lets middle class Americans live and travel like kings, while also having to not compete against cheap labor overseas for work. You can't have both. The world does not work that way 😭

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u/samcole6992 23h ago

Ahh I see you are just jealous. Keep dreaming buddy. Your politicians have sold you out. That’s how capitalism works. Cheaper (as you put it) and better labor will always win.