I gave up on getting an H-1B visa because of the $100k fee. I’m optimistic about my future outside the US.
An Indian national, Shreya Mishra Reddy, abandoned her pursuit of an H-1B visa for the US after news of a potential $100,000 fee for employers hiring from outside the country. Despite the fee not being enforced, the uncertainty led her to seek opportunities in Canada or India instead. She highlights the difficulties international students face in the US job market.
Why it matters
This article illustrates the significant impact of US immigration policy changes and associated uncertainty on highly skilled international professionals, potentially leading to a brain drain and affecting US competitiveness. It also sheds light on the challenges faced by international students.
Mishra Reddy is deciding whether to live in Canada or India Courtesy of Shreya Mishra Reddy Shreya Mishra Reddy planned to apply for an H-1B visa from outside the US. When news hit that an employer might have to pay $100,000 to hire her, she changed course. Reddy is now weighing up where to live, and is no longer setting her sights on the US. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shreya Mishra Reddy, 34, an Indian national currently staying in Toronto on a tourist visa. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I moved to the US from India to do my master's in engineering management at Duke University in 2021. I graduated in 2022 and got a job at Visa the following year.
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