Paridhi Upadhyaya was packing her bags to move to the United States after receiving a computer science scholarship, but her family in Lucknow canceled her trip following President Donald Trump's announcements regarding H-1B visas. Rudra Pratap, 18-year-old Paridhia's father, said, "Trump's continued attacks against immigrants are forcing us to consider other destinations for her."
Upadhyaya is among thousands of Indians whose American dreams of a world-class education, a lucrative career, a better standard of living, and social mobility are being dashed by increasing US visa restrictions and policy uncertainty. For decades, the H-1B visa has been an opportunity and a door to a new life for young engineers and scientists from India, China, and other countries to convert years of study into high-paying jobs and the possibility of permanent residency. Last week, Trump announced that the fee for new H-1B visa applications would be $100,000, or approximately Rs 8.8 million. This is significantly higher than the $2,000 to $5,000 that employers currently pay for their employees. Agency
Worried about an uncertain future...
A Lucknow student pursuing a master's degree in computer science in Dallas, Texas, is worried about $80,000 in debt and an uncertain future. "Right now, my only goal is to complete my degree, find an internship, and repay my loans," he said. Piyush Kumar of IDP Education said many students and parents are now in a wait-and-see mode and are considering options like the UK, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.
High-profile Indians have used this visa.
While supporters of the H-1B visa credit it with bringing critical talent to the US, Trump argues that it depresses wages and disempowers qualified American workers. This has made it one of the country's most divisive immigration policies. Some high-profile Indians who have used this visa program include Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, and Google parent company Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. All of them came to the US as students.
China is holding job fairs for foreigners.
While Germany offers stability, China is aggressively recruiting global talent with new incentives. Beijing has unveiled a new visa category that will allow successful applicants to enter, study, and work in China without having to secure a job offer or research position. On the day Trump signed the $100,000 H-1B visa fee, large-scale job fairs targeting foreign talent were held in Chinese cities like Jinan and Nanjing. More than 2,000 employers participated in Jinan, while more than 20,000 jobs were offered in Nanjing.
Germany Opens Doors to Skilled Indian Professionals
Amidst the H-1B visa fee hike, German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said that high-skilled Indians are welcome in Germany. "We have a distinct identity due to our stable immigration policies," he said. "Germany offers excellent employment opportunities for Indians in IT, management, and science and technology." Ackermann said in a social media post, "Indians are among the highest earners in Germany. The average Indian working there earns more than the average German. This means that Indians are making a major contribution to our society and our well-being. German immigration policies are not chaotic." He took a dig at the US, which has made the visa process more complicated. Ackermann said, "We believe in hard work and giving the best jobs to the best people. Our immigration policy is reliable, modern, and predictable, like a German car. We do not make any fundamental changes to our rules over time." He also shared a link to provide information about opportunities available in Germany.
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