Nagpur: Uncertainty Plagues Indian Students Pursuing U.S. Education
In a troubling turn of events, countless Indian students, particularly those hailing from Vidarbha, who envisioned a future steeped in success through education in the United States, find themselves confronting a daunting dilemma.
Families who have invested heavily, mortgaging homes, pledging jewelry, or incurring debts ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore to facilitate higher education abroad, now grapple with the unsettling prospect of their investments yielding little to no returns.
The recent modifications to the H-1B visa regulations—most notably the exorbitant sponsorship fee of $100,000—have stoked significant anxiety among aspiring professionals. This upheaval has left students and recent graduates currently residing in the U.S. in a state of acute distress.
Vinay Raut, a new graduate from the Illinois Institute of Technology, articulated the pervasive trepidation, stating, “Upon graduating in May, I was granted merely two months to secure employment.
Following this period, a stringent three-month window ensued, wherein obtaining a job became imperative; failing which would necessitate my return to India.”
He continued, “During interviews, the predominant inquiry posed by employers invariably pertains to H-1B sponsorship. Many companies are already dismissing applicants who require such sponsorship due to the associated legal fees, which range from $8,000 to $10,000.
The recent stipulation of a $100,000 H-1B fee has obliterated our aspirations, as few organizations would be inclined to allocate such vast sums for entry-level positions,” lamented Raut, who left a stable job at a nationalized bank to pursue opportunities in the United States.
Raut’s concern regarding dwindling time is palpable. “My deadline looms in October. I am left to rely on Optional Practical Training and STEM OPT, which afford me a three-year work authorization; post this, a return to India may be inevitable. The likelihood of my family recovering their investment during this interval remains precarious,” he added.
“Many of us sacrificed everything to study in America, driven by the hope of securing employment and supporting our families back home. Yet, with these new regulations in place, organizations are disinclined to disburse $100,000 for new hires earning an average salary of $50,000 annually. It is simply not a tenable situation for them,” Raut observed.
Students assert that the most profound repercussions are being felt by those seeking entry-level positions. Even prior to the alteration in policy, numerous companies exhibited hesitance towards sponsoring foreign candidates.
The latest adjustments to the fee structure have overshadowed any glimmer of hope. “Anxiety and regret proliferate among aspirants, many of whom feel ensnared in debt with no feasible recovery path.
What was once envisioned as the American Dream has now morphed into a precarious gamble we appear to be losing,” expressed Sahil Dhone, another affected student.
Some professionals have indicated potential ripple effects on Indian IT firms operating in the U.S. “In the past, companies like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro frequently sent Indian employees to the U.S. on H-1B visas. Now, who is willing to invest $100,000 to dispatch employees abroad?” queried a local tech expert.
Conversely, education consultants proffered a somewhat optimistic viewpoint. Pankaj Agrawal from KC Overseas Education Pvt Ltd remarked, The H-1B fee imposed by the Trump administration does not directly affect students. Upon completing their undergraduate or graduate studies, students can transition to H-1B statuses without incurring the $100,000 fee.
This charge applies only to applicants seeking H-1B visas from outside the U.S., Agrawal clarified, though he himself awaits further clarification regarding the matter.
As it stands, the disparate interpretations of the new regulations have left students in a state of unease. While consultants contend that the fee may not pertain to all graduates, those currently in the U.S. emphasize that the sense of uncertainty and trepidation is very real, prompting many to rethink whether the immense financial risk associated with obtaining an American education will ever materialize into valuable returns.
Source link: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
