It is well known that President Donald Trump’s tightening of H-1B visa rules closed the doors for many Indian aspirants who once hoped to settle in the United States through company sponsorships.
The requirement for companies to pay around USD 100,000 in fees to hire an H-1B employee has made the process highly impractical.
For a while, there was still a ray of hope for students, as this fee structure did not apply to those studying in the U.S. under an F-1 visa.
Many believed that pursuing higher education in America was the best way to secure an H-1B job offer later. However, even that path is now becoming unrealistic.
American authorities are closely scrutinizing companies employing foreign workers under the H-1B program, asking whether they made serious efforts to hire U.S. citizens first.
Companies must now provide detailed documentation proving that no suitable citizen was available for the position.
As a result, many firms are unwilling to face such scrutiny or waste time on compliance, and several have openly declared “no more H-1B hires.”
When companies themselves are closing their doors to foreign workers, the dream of obtaining an H-1B visa through an F-1 route becomes meaningless, even if it avoids the USD 100,000 cost.
In the current scenario, spending crores of rupees to study in the USA is becoming a poor investment for Indian students.
Reports already show a 45% drop in Indian student admissions to U.S. universities, and experts predict it could soon reach 80%.
Meanwhile, even existing H-1B employees are being laid off as companies prefer hiring American citizens to avoid government scrutiny.
What was once seen as a golden opportunity for Indian students has now turned into a boon for young American citizens but a nightmare for foreign aspirants.
