49% of Indians would work for the US without moving there: Is the H-1B losing its pull?

Once a near-guaranteed doorway to global opportunity, the H-1B visa now carries more questions than certainty, forcing many Indian professionals to pause, rethink, and carefully weigh when, or if, building a career abroad still makes sense.

Once upon a time, H1B was a document of fond hope and unfulfilled dreams. For Indian engineers, analysts, doctors, and consultants, it represented proof that talent could cross oceans and ambitions carry a passport. Today, the H1B visas are changing their faces slightly. As visa rules grow tighter, timelines blur, and outcomes feel increasingly uncertain, the H-1B has begun to change faces, how Indian professionals see the world, and how they see themselves in it. The question is no longer simply when to move abroad, but whether moving abroad still makes sense in the same way.

A global pipeline built on Indian talent, now under strain

India remains the backbone of global professional mobility. According to the Ministry of External Affairs’ March 2025 data, India has the world’s largest overseas population, with around 35.4 million non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs).US immigration data further underlines this dependence: more than 70 percent of H-1B visas are awarded to Indian nationals, making Indian professionals central to the American technology and services economy.

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Yet despite this scale, access has become narrower. Lottery systems, compliance hurdles, policy shifts, and political scrutiny have turned what was once a predictable pathway into a high-stakes gamble, especially for those early in their careers.

From certainty to caution: How professionals now view the H-1B

The most visible change is psychological. Indeed’s latest Global Career Work & Mobility report, based on insights from 552 employers and 1,019 employees across India and global markets, shows that Indian professionals are no longer planning careers around the assumption that a visa will come through.Sixty-one percent now prefer global remote roles over relocating overseas. Nearly half, 49 percent, say they would continue working from India if their preferred visa pathway were unavailable. Still, ambition remains intact: 44 percent continue to value international careers, signalling that global aspiration has not faded, even as strategies shift.What has weakened is certainty. Just 15 percent of professionals say they clearly understand visa rules today, a gap that leaves many unsure about when, or whether, they can realistically plan a move abroad.

Why working abroad still holds power, especially early on

Despite the caution, the pull of working overseas has not disappeared. More than half of respondents, 51 percent, believe that working abroad still offers advantages that are difficult to replicate from home, particularly at the start of a career. Exposure to global teams, access to mentors, informal learning, and long-term professional credibility continue to carry weight.The difference is timing. Professionals are increasingly unwilling to stake their entire early career on a single visa outcome.

Building global careers without crossing borders

One of the clearest shifts highlighted in the report is how professionals are gaining international exposure. Working on international projects from India now ranks higher than short-term overseas assignments or education abroad. Global careers are increasingly being shaped by skills and projects, not postal codes.Nearly 39 percent of professionals say they are actively preparing for global roles through upskilling, certifications, and international networking, often without expecting immediate relocation. For many, the H-1B has shifted from being the starting point of a career to a possible milestone somewhere down the line.

Employers feel the ripple effects of visa uncertainty

The strain is not limited to individuals. Almost one in two employers surveyed, 47 percent, say a significant portion of their US workforce depends on visa-linked talent. As approvals become harder to predict, companies report rising hiring costs, fewer successful visa outcomes, higher legal overheads, and delays in client delivery.Entry-level hiring has taken the sharpest blow. Fifty-five per cent of employers say early-career roles are the first to be affected, raising concerns about the long-term health of talent pipelines that once relied on steady inflows of young, mobile professionals.

When the US narrows, talent looks elsewhere, or stays home

As the H-1B becomes more uncertain, Indian professionals are not abandoning global ambition; they are redirecting it.Nearly a third of employers say skilled Indian professionals are choosing alternative destinations such as Canada, the UK, and parts of Europe. Germany has emerged as the most consistent non-US option, with 47 percent of professionals across career stages naming it as their preferred alternative, ahead of Canada, the Middle East, and Singapore.Others are choosing to remain in India longer, building globally relevant careers without immediate relocation, a shift that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

Mobility as a measure of trust and opportunity

Visa uncertainty is also reshaping workplace loyalty. Forty-one per cent of employees say they would consider switching employers if it improved their chances of an overseas transfer.Global mobility has become an opportunity for employers who are willing to invest in long-term growth. More than half of companies say they are now preparing Indian teams for international exposure, and 46 percent report improved retention as a result. Still, strategies vary widely, with no single model yet offering a clear solution.

What the changing face of the H-1B means for Indian professionals

The H-1B visa no longer defines the start of a global career. It has become one of many possible chapters. For Indian professionals today, what matters most is building skills that travel, experience that scales, and credibility that does not depend on geography. Global ambition remains alive, but it is no longer tied to a single stamp in a passport.In a labyrinthine world where borders feel heavier and pathways less certain, Indian professionals are rescripting the rules of mobility. They are proving that while visas may mould journeys, they no longer define ambition.