Recent changes in US H-1B visa policies have sparked significant concern within the Indian IT professional community hoping to work in America. However, the actual consequences for Indian engineers and technology specialists may be less severe than many anticipate. This moderated impact stems primarily from two factors: a shortage of Americans with specialised technical skills, and the growing focus of technology companies, including Microsoft and Google, on Indian engineering talent to drive the next wave of technological innovation, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development.
Indian professionals have long dominated the H-1B visa landscape, securing the majority of issued visas. While any regulatory changes will affect Indian aspirants, several factors suggest that the impact may be less severe than anticipated, leading to fewer opportunities for Indian engineers, IT specialists and other skilled professionals in key sectors.
What are the key changes that may impact Indian H1-B aspirants
Indian professionals have reportedly dominated the H-1B visa landscape, receiving 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued between October 2022 and September 2023. However, recent policy changes could impact their chances as the US is moving for stricter enforcement against fraudulent applications and misuse of the programme.
The policy changes bat for increased wage requirements to ensure that H-1B visa holders are paid fairly and competitively with their American counterparts, preventing companies from undercutting wages.
Moreover, employers will face greater scrutiny in demonstrating that the jobs they are filling with H-1B visa holders truly require a specialised degree, preventing the programme from being used for roles that could be filled by American workers.
Elon Musk backs foreign skilled workers
Elon Musk, who has been a staunch promoter of Make America Great Again (MAGA), has expressed support for foreign skilled workers. His stance followed the debates about international talent in America’s technology sector and visa policies for high-skilled immigrants after his decision to hire Sriram Krishnan as an advisor on AI.
Krishnan, an Indian-American technology executive with previous experience at companies including Twitter, Microsoft, and Meta, joins Musk’s team at a time when the billionaire entrepreneur is expanding his artificial intelligence initiatives.
“There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent. It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley,” Musk had said at that time.
He also argued with an X user who said that America with 330 million people must have enough people for such skilled jobs. “Why would you deny real Americans that opportunity by bringing foreigners here?” the person asked.
Your understanding of the situation is upside-down and backwards.
OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process.
HOWEVER, there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America.
Why Indians are rated high when talking about specialised skills
The US tech industry remains heavily reliant on skilled foreign talent. Despite efforts to prioritise domestic workers, the demand for specialised skills in areas like AI, cloud computing and cybersecurity continues to outpace the supply of qualified US professionals.
India, with its vast pool of over 5 million programmers, is rapidly becoming a global center for artificial intelligence (AI) talent. This surge in expertise comes at a crucial time when the demand for AI specialists far outstrips supply worldwide.
Recognising India’s potential, tech giants like Microsoft and Google have been actively courting the country’s developers and researchers. Last year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google’s chief scientist Jeff Dean made separate trips to India to engage with the local tech community and promote the adoption of AI services.
Nadella addressed developers and technologists in Bangalore on “discovering new opportunities with AI,” while Dean discussed AI’s next frontier with researchers, developers and startups, underscoring the importance of India’s role in the global AI landscape.
In January, Nadella also announced the company’s plans to invest $3 billion in India in cloud and AI infrastructure and skilling over the next two years.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, during his India tour, even predicted that the country could become the world’s leading exporter of AI expertise.
“There’s a worldwide transition toward AI in the next five to ten years, and the Indian developer will be at the heart of it. The Indian developer will determine which AI stack will dominate,” said Nandan Nilekani, chairman of Infosys.
What are the options for Indian IT professionals
The Indian IT and tech sectors have matured significantly. While sending skilled professionals to the US on H-1B visas remains important, Indian companies are increasingly focusing on global expansion, innovation and building domestic capabilities.
Faced with ‘increased’ hurdles in securing H-1B visas, Indian professionals may also look towards countries like Canada and the UK, which are perceived to have more welcoming immigration policies.
