Washington: Thousands of Indian professionals working in the United States on H-1B visas are facing growing uncertainty after widespread layoffs in the technology sector coincided with stricter immigration and visa regulations under the Trump administration. According to reports, nearly 15,000 Indian tech workers have lost their jobs in recent months, leaving many at risk of losing their legal status in the country and facing possible deportation if they fail to secure new employment within the stipulated time.
The layoffs come as major technology companies such as Meta, Amazon, and Oracle continue restructuring exercises and workforce reductions that have affected nearly 50,000 employees overall. A significant number of those impacted are Indian professionals employed under the H-1B visa programme, which allows US companies to hire foreign workers in specialised occupations such as information technology, engineering, architecture, and healthcare.
Under existing H-1B visa rules, workers who lose their jobs are granted a 60-day grace period to either find another employer willing to sponsor their visa or leave the United States. However, Indian workers say the current job market has become increasingly difficult due to slower recruitment processes and tighter scrutiny from employers reluctant to undertake visa sponsorship obligations.
Many professionals affected by the layoffs are now struggling to secure new positions before the expiry of their grace period. Seattle-based engineer Vikas Pathak said he had already applied for more than 150 jobs but faced delays in recruitment cycles that often stretch for months. According to him, the biggest issue is not outright rejection but the slow pace of hiring, which puts immense pressure on laid-off H-1B workers racing against time.
The anxiety among Indian families in the US has also intensified because of concerns surrounding children’s education, home loans, and dependent visas. Bijayant Singh, an Indian resident in San Francisco, said that although many people appear calm outwardly, there is widespread panic within the community. Several families are reportedly making contingency plans in case they are forced to return to India abruptly.
The situation has been further complicated by stricter immigration measures introduced by the Trump administration. New rules reportedly require laid-off H-1B workers to secure jobs within the same sector, salary range, and professional category in order to maintain visa status. This effectively prevents workers from switching to unrelated professions simply to remain legally employed in the country.
Employers are also being subjected to additional documentation requirements to justify hiring foreign workers. Companies must now provide more evidence explaining why qualified American candidates could not fill the position. Industry experts believe this increased compliance burden has made firms more cautious about sponsoring H-1B applicants.
At the same time, changes to the green card process have added to the uncertainty faced by Indian workers. Under the revised approach, applicants may be required to complete parts of the green card process from their home country instead of adjusting status while remaining in the United States. Analysts say this could create major disruptions for temporary visa holders, especially Indians who already face long waiting periods for employment-based permanent residency.
Data cited in reports indicate that between 2014 and 2023, around 7.26 lakh Indians received green cards in the United States. However, Indians continue to dominate the employment-based green card backlog. According to estimates by the CATO Institute, Indians account for nearly 1.1 million of the total 1.8 million employment-based green card backlog cases in the US, representing about 63 per cent of pending applications.
The waiting period for employment-based green cards for Indian applicants is already estimated at 10 to 15 years in several categories. Experts warn that additional procedural hurdles, mandatory overseas interviews, enhanced security checks, and longer verification timelines may further delay approvals and create uncertainty for workers attempting to maintain continuous employment in the US.
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu also weighed in on the issue, urging Indians living in America to consider returning to India. In a public appeal, he said that even if returning home feels like a sacrifice, people should listen to their inner voice and reassess their long-term future.
The H-1B visa programme remains one of the most important pathways for skilled Indian professionals seeking opportunities in the US. The visa is initially granted for three years and can typically be extended for another three years. The United States currently issues around 65,000 H-1B visas annually under the regular cap, excluding additional allocations for advanced degree holders.
While the programme has long benefited both American technology companies and skilled foreign workers, the current combination of layoffs, immigration uncertainty, and green card backlogs has created one of the most challenging periods for Indian professionals working in the United States in recent years.
