How the United States' EB-5 visa supports Indian workers amid H -1B turmoil
visa of choice among Indians seeking to work and live in the United States, a series of events unfolding over the last year have quickly changed those norms. From October 2020 to September 2021, the Indian workforce secured an impressive 74% of the over 407,000 H-1B visas issued.
But according to the Wall Street Journal, many have been impacted by large-scale tech layoffs because roughly one-quarter of all foreign-born employees are in STEM fields of technology and science. Due to its non-immigrant, short-term visa designation, the H-1B visa program requires immigrants to find a new U.S.
employer sponsor within 60 days of termination from their job, or risk deportation.
Indian professionals and employers alike are exploring alternative options — including the EB-5 visa – to overcome many challenges arising with the H-1B visa process. Factors such as limited annual quotas, a lottery system, intense competition, policy changes, and delays in visa processing have significantly impacted career plans and job opportunities. This has led to anxiety and uncertainty among Indian workers with long-term aspirations tied to U.S.
employment. Indian students studying in the United States also face uncertainty and challenges should they elect to continue their studies and pursue a career in America. Both F1 and H-1B visas are “non-immigrant” visas that do not offer a clear path to permanent residency.
Why EB-5 May be a More Suitable Option The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program (EB-5) is an alternative that offers green cards with greater flexibility – and less uncertainly – than other visas to work and study in the United States.
