Indian students face uncertainty as U.S. tightens visa and work policies

For decades, Indian students have viewed U.S. universities as gateways to success. But evolving immigration policies under the Trump administration have altered that narrative. A dramatic hike in H1B visa fees and tighter post-study employment rules are now deterring both students and employers. The fallout is immense—students burdened with debt, uncertain job prospects, and delayed opportunities. Drawing from personal experience, this article explores how these changes have made the path to success steeper and prompted many to reconsider studying or working in the United States altogether.

Almost nine months since I returned to India after spending a little over two years studying in the United States, I find myself reflecting on that decision — one I made reluctantly at first, unsure of what lay ahead. Friends and family questioned my choice to leave the world’s largest economy, where journalists thrive and careers often unfold in dollars. Yet, in hindsight, what seemed uncertain then now feels like a decision made at the right time.

When Donald Trump took the oath as President of the United States for the second time, I realized how swiftly campaign rhetoric could transform into policy. Within weeks, the administration began tightening immigration rules and enforcing deportations. The first shock came when a U.S. military aircraft carrying 104 deported Indian immigrants — many of them settled professionals — landed in Punjab on February 5. Two more flights followed, pushing the total past 300. Their sudden return left families disoriented and futures uncertain.

Soon after, attention turned to the H1B visa program and Optional Practical Training (OPT), both lifelines for international students aspiring to work in the U.S. after graduation. The Trump administration’s latest executive order increased the H1B application fee tenfold — from $10,000 to $100,000 — while introducing income-based weighting in the lottery system.

In Cary, NC, there are so many Indians there that people joke the city’s name should be changed to Curry, NC. At the Cary Costco, almost all Indians when you shop. My father said there were few other nationalities represented that were shopping there.

I've worked for lots of the major banks in Charlotte. Those officer towers are 1/4 to 1/3 H1B Indians. Look around the nicer apartment complexes in town. Indians everywhere. I don't hate them and I don't hate India. I freely acknowledge if I were in their place, I would do the same. But I don't think there should be hordes of them here at the expense of Americans. If that shaves a point or two off of BofA's and Wells Fargo's profit margin....oh well. So be it.

I don't hate them and I don't hate India.

I didn't either until I went there a few times for work. And you could never be in their place, though, that's the thing, because you weren't raised in that environment. Here are some things a tourist there can look forward to: Aiming for dogs in the road with their cars while swerving around the "holy" cows and nearly killing you if you're on foot. Elevators that all smell like BO and curry when unoccupied and far worse when Indians are in the elevator with you. The power going out every day from 1430 to 1600 and the temperature and humidity never getting below 95 degrees and percent, respectively. When the temp happens to get below 80, all of the locals get cold and only have sh*t to burn for heat, enhancing the ever-present smell of death that Seinfeld accurately described on an episode. Having to only drink from water distillers that must be sterilized every day. Well dressed beggars shoving drugged and maimed babies in your face for money that you can't avoid while you are in your taxi at stop lights because the windows have to be down because the filthy taxis or tuc-tucs have no A/C. Adults squatting and crapping in street gutters everywhere. Red letter days where co-workers and friends announce that they finally had a solid BM. The utter fear of having diarrhea on the outgoing flight when you're scheduled to leave because you have basically had the runs and worse throughout your stay there. Having to avoid drinking from glasses and cleaning your can of Coke with a disinfectant wipe, making sure not to pour it into a glass with ice in it, or you're going to be on the toilet for days blasting and wrecking it, thanks to the contaminated ice. Getting a nice, painful upper respiratory infection from the ever present mold and mildew in all of the never-cleaned HVAC systems. Is this enough? I won't even get into what the train trip to Agra was like to see the the Taj Mahal... The whole damned country is like a crossover of the movies Idiocracy and Soylent Green. They all don't do these things but this is their culture, they all tolerate it and think it's normal. They should not be here.

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