Vinyas Raju

I came across recent discussions around changes to the H-1B visa in the United States. Higher costs, stricter requirements. My first reaction was honestly uncertainty. I’ve been thinking about working with global teams at some point, and this made me realize how little I actually understand about how that works in practice. Not just visas, but the whole system around hiring across countries. One thing that became clearer though: There are two different paths people talk about, but I used to mix them up. Working remotely from India is one thing. Relocating to the U.S. is completely different. The constraints, process, and requirements are not the same. Right now, I don’t have answers. Just a better question: If the goal is to work globally, what path actually makes sense to focus on early? For now, I’m focusing on building skills first and understanding how hiring actually works alongside it. Everything else feels too unclear to optimize for yet.

1

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇-1𝐁 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 $100,000 𝐅𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥. The recent U.S. proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions one time has sent shockwaves through the global tech ecosystem. This isn’t just a fee it’s a bold policy statement, reshaping how companies hire global talent. The New Reality Sticker Shock: $100,000 per new H-1B petition a dramatic jump from previous costs. Political Statement: Designed to prioritize U.S. workers while signaling a pro-American labor stance. Immediate Uncertainty: Companies and employees abroad face urgent decisions on petitions, relocations, and timelines. Industry Concerns: India’s IT industry body, Nasscom, has voiced strong concerns, emphasizing that the fee could disrupt business continuity for onshore projects as 71% H-1B of Indians. Exemptions Matter: Roles deemed in the “national interest” (AI, cybersecurity, biotech, fintech) can qualify for waivers a lifeline for critical talent. Why Indian IT Companies Can Turn This into Opportunity 1. Turbocharge ‘Work from India’ Models: Deliver world-class projects without moving employees to the U.S., avoiding the fee while maintaining productivity. 2. Strategic Nearshoring: Strengthen U.S. satellite offices and hybrid teams, blending onshore and offshore talent for resilience. 3. Alternative Visa Routes: Leverage L-1 intra-company transfers or O-1 visas for extraordinary talent. 4. Invest in Local Talent: Hire U.S. citizens and residents strategically to reinforce client relationships and compliance. 𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘛 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦.

9

Big Tech just told H-1B holders — Come back before Sunday or risk $100K per head! 🚨 Trump just announced a $100K annual fee for every H-1B visa. Microsoft, Amazon, JP Morgan have sent internal letters asking all H-1B/H-4 employees outside the U.S. to return before Sept 21, 12:01 AM ET. 💭 What does this mean for Indian talent? -->Cost of hiring H-1B workers will skyrocket. -->Many companies may freeze or slow down H-1B hiring. -->This could lead to a surge in remote work opportunities and offshore roles — hiring Indian developers to work from India instead of relocating them to the U.S. -->Big Tech may challenge this move legally, but in the short term, there’s a lot of uncertainty for those outside the U.S. 🌏 My take: This could be a turning point. Indian IT talent may see more remote, high-paying roles as companies look to avoid massive visa costs — but it might also limit chances for on-site opportunities in the U.S. Day-22 #365days #H1B #RemoteWork #TechIndustry #Immigration

29

A new federal order from the Trump administration just slapped a steep $100,000 fee on companies sponsoring a new H-1B visa candidate. For many, a dream has been broken. The H-1B was the primary pathway for skilled tech workers to the US, and this is not just a fee increase; it's a fundamental shift in the global talent ecosystem. For Big Tech, they can absorb this, especially for critical, competitive hires like in AI. However, we can't say the same for startups. Startups cannot absorb such a cost. This is a massive and potentially crippling barrier, effectively freezing out their ability to compete for top international talent at scale. This move could heavily tilt the talent war in favor of established giants. This policy, aimed at boosting American jobs, will also likely accelerate the decentralization of global talent. Expect to see companies re-route their strategies, creating international tech hubs in regions where skilled workers reside. Those talents will simply work remotely, driving innovation and associated economic benefits outside the US. The H-1B program was originally designed to fill genuine talent gaps and foster growth, allowing US companies to secure the best talent around the world and stay competitive globally. This is a massive strategic shift for the global tech workforce, and the fallout will eventually be felt worldwide. I would like to know your thoughts: Will this policy really protect American workers, or will it push our most competitive industries to look for talent offshore?

4

If you are an SF engineer at $150K, you are likely Level I. Your H‑1B chances just dropped by 48%. The new H‑1B Cap Weighted Selection Final Rule is here. Random lottery is gone. Wage‑weighted selection is in. Data. Under the old system, everyone sat at about 35% odds. 118K out of 336K registrations in FY26. No advantage for higher wage levels. The new rule rewrites those odds: → Level I: 15.29% → Level II: 30.58% → Level III: 45.87% → Level IV: 61.16% For Level I, odds drop nearly in half. For Level IV, odds more than double. A $150K SF engineer is often Level I on OES. → Early career people, Lower salary but important roles, they get hit the hardest here. There is more. Registrations must now include: → OEWS wage level → SOC code → Work location Later the petition must prove that wage level was correct on the day of registration. USCIS can deny, revoke, or block amendments if it looks like you changed terms to game the lottery. The logic from the government is clear. → Higher pay, higher odds. → Your economic value now shapes your chance to stay. If you are an employer, start planning before the next window. If you are a worker, learn your wage level and study other paths, not only H‑1B. I will keep sharing data as more details come out. Hi! My name is Sumit Gupta, I share data, AI, immigration updates and make you a smarter immigrant!

33

2 Comments

> ... immigration at the high-skilled level is a massive net gain for the U.S. economy. > If you block companies from hiring workers from outside the United States, large multinationals don’t just hire Americans instead. They shift jobs abroad.

2

Another week brings another wave of instability for high-skilled H1B families in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released an 'interim final rule' ending automatic EAD extensions, a policy that directly impacts H4 EAD holders. For spouses of H1Bs stuck in the Green Card queue, this auto-extension was the only thing preventing a forced gap in their employment. Now, they face a high-stakes timing gap: 1. EAD renewals can take 8.5+ months. It might increase to longer processing times due to the new vetting processes. 2. You can't apply for renewal more than 180 days in advance. 3. Government shutdown could severely impact processing times. When renewal times are longer than the application window, people will lose their jobs. The human impact is immediate: a stable, dual-income, upper-middle-class family is suddenly demoted to a single-income household, constantly under threat of a spouse's job loss due to a processing backlog they cannot control. For the thousands of skilled professionals the message this policy sends is one of persistent uncertainty. https://lnkd.in/grV5ZQCN

19

22 Comments

Dispelling a few myths about EB-2 NIW: 1. An approved NIW does not grant you work authorization. You will still need a nonimmigrant visa to be able to stay and work in the U.S. (such as H-1B). 2. An approved NIW does not put you in a different EB-2 backlog (EB-2 = EB-2). It does, however, grant you additional flexibility in that you will not need to start a new PERM with a new employer should you switch employers so that you will be ready to file your I-485 when your priority date becomes current. 3. EB-2 NIW is not only for researchers. Industry professionals can get approved for EB-2 NIW as well (yes, even industry professionals with no research background and no publications). - Interested in EB-1A, EB-2 NIW or O-1? Schedule a consultation through our website! (link on my profile) For questions, email info@waypointimmigration.org or message me and I’ll get back to you shortly. You can also request a free EB-1A or EB-2 NIW evaluation through the "Free Assessments" page on our website! Interested in getting specific examples of profile-building opportunities? Check out the practical profile-building opportunities database in the Immigration Jason newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gin7zj-e Disclaimer: opportunities are not legal advice or guarantees and should be used for brainstorming and inspiration to kick start your journey. #eb2niw #eb2 #greencard #visa #uscis

28

2 Comments