These highly skilled, highly educated foreign workers are documenting the challenges of trying to build a career in the U.S. “If I don’t get a job, I have to leave the country.” “I sent 907 applications.” “Have I ever truly rested in America?” They need H-1B visas, which are awarded through a lottery system that allows U.S. companies to hire highly skilled international professionals in industries such as technology and medicine for up to six years. But the Trump administration has made changes to the program, requiring companies to pay higher fees and imposing new rules that give priority to higher-paid foreign workers, in an effort to make more jobs available to Americans. This has forced some foreigners to reconsider their career plans. “I think America is still the gold standard.” Wen-Hsing Huang came to the US from Taiwan in 2022 for the tech sector, and was hired by Amazon on an H-1B visa. “I want to use my talents to change the world, and I thought the United States was the best platform to do that.” Ananya Joshi came from India to attend a master’s program in Chicago in 2022. “So it was actually my father’s dream that I inherited because my father couldn’t go there because of his financial situation.” Hanna, a Chinese national, fell in love with America while studying in New York. He got H-1B in 2022. “I remember there were a lot of companies they would be able to sponsor.” Hanna said she has experienced a recent change, where it has become harder to find companies that sponsor H-1B visas. “This time when I was job searching, I didn’t realize it could be a deal breaker. I had a second interview for 2026, and it was a very short call.” (Recruiter) “I do not feel that we are qualified or able to sponsor this role at this time.” “They don’t even really know whether I’m qualified, whether I’m experienced, or anything. The decision is already made at that point.” “Please, please make sure the company you are going to work for has experience handling international appointments.” Joshi said the start-up he interned with during graduate school canceled its promise to sponsor his H-1B visa. “Ask for everything in writing. And then there were jobs that were contract jobs. They would reject me. They would only require people with a green card or US citizenship.” Even with an H-1B and a six-figure salary, Huang said he found himself feeling anxious as tech layoffs increased and Trump’s immigration policies kept changing. “I wake up every morning with this knot in my stomach, because my whole life depended on a policy I couldn’t control. It feels like the United States is not very welcoming to immigrants who contribute to this country.” “The signals are absolutely clear at this point. They want to make this H-1B riskier and more difficult as well.” Hello everyone.” Despite this, Hanna says she will keep looking for a job until she is forced to leave the country. “The pressure of where am I going to go in the next phase of my career or, like, my life. I lost the ability to enjoy my life or just be happy.” “So I had to leave America, of course, I extended my search beyond America, I got a job in Germany.” Joshi packed up his life and started a new role with a European biotech firm in January. “I think I left at a good time, because there would have been more stress. I would have been stuck in a loop.” “It’s an endless cycle of worry.” After leaving his job at Amazon, Huang is now back in Taiwan and plans to start his own company. “Betting on building an AI company that gives me complete control over my time, space, and future. Living in the United States is no longer the only way to achieve my American dream.
