Prof. K.S. Chandrasekar The H-1B is a temporary and non-immigrant visa category that allows employers to seek for highly educated foreign professionals to work in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. Jobs in fields such as mathematics, engineering, technology, and medical sciences (STEM specifically) often qualify. Typically, the initial duration of an H-1B visa classification is three years, which may be extended for a maximum of six years. Before an employer can file a petition with USCIS, the employer must take steps to ensure that hiring the foreign worker will not harm U.S. workers. Employers first must attest, on a labour condition application (LCA) certified by the Department of Labor (DOL), that employment of the H-1B worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. Employers must also provide existing workers with notice of their intention to hire an H-1B worker. This is where President Trump in his quest for making America great again and protecting citizens on the job opportunities, recently came out with H1B visa restrictions which have caused more discussions and deliberations in India. Since the category was created in 1990, limited the number of H-1Bs were made available each year. The current annual statutory cap is 65,000 visas, with 20,000 additional visas for foreign professionals who graduate with a master’s degree or doctorate from a U.S. institution of higher learning. According to many economists, the presence of immigrant workers in the United States creates new job opportunities for native-born workers. Immigrant workers and native-born workers often have different skill sets, meaning that they fill different types of jobs. As a result, they complement each other in the labour market rather than competing for the exact same jobs. Immigrant workers spend and invest their wages in the U.S. economy, which increases consumer demand and creates new jobs. Immigrants themselves frequently create new businesses, thereby expanding the U.S. labour market. It is reported that more than 46 percent of Fortune 500 companies in 2025 (231 out of 500) were founded by immigrants or their children, including109 companies founded by immigrants, 122 companies founded by children of immigrants.Among the 14 companies that appeared on the Fortune 500 list for the first time this year, 10 were founded by immigrants or their children.In the year 2024, these 231 Fortune 500 companies generated $8.6 trillion in revenue-an amount that, if compared with national GDPs, would rank as the third-largest economy globally.These 231 Fortune 500 companies employed over 15.4 million people worldwide, a number that’s comparable to the population of the fifth-largest U.S. state.Immigrants and their children founded 80 percent of the Fortune 500 companies in professional and other services, 65.6 percent in manufacturing, and 57.5 percent in information. This growth in USA is largely due to the immigrants primarily from India and China specifically in tech companies and tech innovations. BBC quotes that Indian get 72% of H-1B visas, followed by 12% for Chinese citizens. The majority of H-1B visa holders worked in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with 65% in computer-related jobs, in 2023. Their median annual salary was $118,000 (£94,000).A Pew Research report shows that US immigration rose by 1.6 million in 2023, the largest increase in more than 20 years. Immigrants now comprise over 14% of the population – the highest since 1910. Indians are the second-largest immigrant group – after Mexicans – in the US. Many Americans fear this surge in immigration could harm job prospects or hinder assimilation.India has also surpassed China as the leading source of international students, with a record 331,602 Indian students in the US in 2023-2024. The authors of ‘The other one percent’ quotes that H-1B visa is the reason for the rise of Indian Americans into the highest educated and highest earning group, immigrant or native in the USA. On the contrary, the reasons why Trump administration issued the hike is due to the fact that for more than a decade, Americans working in the tech industry have been systematically laid off and replaced by cheaper H-1B visa holder. For an Indian immigrant, the salary levels offered initially are very high as compared to the salary in India which prompts the very best talent to move out. It needs to be noted that Indian tech giants like TCS, Wipro, Infosys etc., have hired and supported nearly 600,000 American workers and spent over a billion dollars on upskilling nearly three million students across 130 US colleges. This hike in visa fees can stop the sponsorships partially as a retort since the H1B is actually the blood line of these companies. From 1991, there has been steady increase in the number of engineering colleges across the country, and it mushroomed after the 2000. As on 2021, India produces on an estimate of about one million engineering graduates annually. There are approximately 8,800-8,900 engineering colleges in India, with around 2,200-2,300 government-run institutions and about 6,600 private colleges.The brain drain often is associated with IITs. If a student gets admission in IIT or BITS, VIT or SRM, it is construed that it’s a ticket to American dreams. During the time between year 2000 and 2010, the engineering studies gained huge popularity in India. Engineering graduates were receiving good jobs and pay. Due to this, a large number of engineering colleges (both private and public) were opened. Even students who were not qualified to join the colleges were permitted to study.With around 16,000 IIT graduates emerging annually, the nation possesses an unparalleled pool of technically skilled and innovative professionals. Retaining even a fraction of this talent could dramatically strengthen domestic research institutions, expand the startup ecosystem, and position India as a global solutions hub in sectors ranging from digital infrastructure to renewable energy.However, considering the enormous number of engineering colleges which are ‘fly by night’, AICTE has to now ensure quality and seek the faculty input quality, their continuity and research. Students and parents are now very clear and hence there is huge rush for admissions in BITS, VIT etc., nearly 30% of the colleges in Maharashtra is lying vacant. The same is the case with Andhra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. These were the states which started the engineering colleges revolution. As India’s Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, highlighted at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, the country already provides “a huge pool of skilled engineers and graduates who are internationally recognized for their talent and innovation.” The question now is how effectively India can channel this pool into building enterprises, research capacity, and technological solutions on a global scale.IIT Kanpur revealed that around 8,000 IIT graduates across 23 campuses remained jobless. However, this potential will only be realized if India builds the infrastructure, capital availability, and institutional flexibility necessary to empower its engineers to innovate at scale.For India, the challenge and the opportunity lie in ensuring that its brightest minds no longer leave home to light the lamps of foreign enterprises but instead illuminate the path to its own technological and entrepreneurial future. In another two to three years, there will be level playing ground for all these engineering institutions as only the fittest will survive. Market dynamics will ensure that many will have to move out. Now the scenario is that many of the engineering colleges have asked AICTE to close them and allow them to move to be a arts and science college. Amitabh Kant, former CEO of Niti Ayog mentioned that by slamming the door on global talent, America pushes the next wave of labs, patents, innovation and startups to Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune and Gurgaon. India’s finest doctors, engineers, scientists, innovators have an opportunity to contribute to India’s growth & progress towards ViksitBharat. Its time we empower India to its glory through the changing dynamics and make Bharat great again. (The author is Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu)
