Tech powerhouses such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have issued urgent advisories to their H-1B visa staff, cautioning them against international travel due to growing uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration’s new immigration policies. Indian tech workers, who form the largest group of H-1B visa holders in the United States, are at the heart of this concern.
According to the Washington Post, major Information Technology (IT) firms are urging employees to stay put, fearing they may not be allowed to re-enter the country.
H-1B visa and foreign talent
The H-1B visa programme, which allocates approximately 65,000 visas annually through a lottery system, is a lifeline for the US tech industry, which is heavily reliant on foreign talent. Indians dominate the pool, followed by Chinese and Canadian nationals.
Leading employers like Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple, depend on this workforce to drive innovation and operations, making any disruption to the programme a significant issue.
Bad omen?
For Indian H-1B visa holders, the news is unsettling. Two workers shared with the Washington Post, that they scrapped plans to visit India, anxious about potential re-entry rejections.
One expressed alarm over the Trump administration’s proposal to end birthright citizenship, worrying that future children could be left stateless, neither fully Indian nor American.
Another remarked, “There is an assumption that everybody who is not a US citizen might be here illegally,” highlighting the growing atmosphere of suspicion.
Rising challenges
The uncertainty, fuelled by Trump’s stringent visa enforcement, is creating additional hurdles. Some Indian H-1B holders report feeling compelled to carry documentation at all times in public, a precaution born of fear.
Meanwhile, a Silicon Valley HR representative told the Post that companies are shelling out extra funds to expedite visa extensions, attempting to lessen processing delays and keep their workforce intact.
Trump is giving mixed signals
While President Trump has recently voiced support for the H-1B programme, praising its role in bringing skilled workers to the country, his broader immigration stance keeps Indian tech workers on edge. The administration’s policy shifts cast a shadow over his pro-H-1B comments, leaving many unsure of what to expect.
