New Delhi: Anxiety brews in homes, in long virtual calls with family back in India and in group chats with friends overseas. A new anonymous survey on the workplace app Blind has uncovered unease among Indian professionals in the United States working on temporary work visas such as H-1B and L-1. The numbers now echo the growing restlessness.
Among the 10,000+ users surveyed, 45% of Indian respondents said they would return to India if they lost their jobs. Twenty-six percent said they would consider moving to another country. The rest 29% remained unsure. The results, reported by Trak, paint a grim picture of how fragile the American dream feels to many.
Pay cuts, lifestyle changes and emotional toll came up most when people were asked what worried them about leaving the United States. Pay cuts were a concern for 25%, followed by a drop in quality of life (24%), family and cultural adjustments (13%) and limited job options (10%).
Confidence in the system also appears to be slipping. When asked whether they would choose the United States as a work destination again, only 35% answered yes. A surprising 65% said no or remained undecided.
For some, this unease comes not from headlines or policy updates but from lived experiences. Around 35% of the respondents said they, or someone they knew, were forced to exit America after a job loss. The 60-day grace period was often not enough.
There were even reports of deportation notices arriving before the grace period ended. One in six participants said they, or someone close, had received a notice to appear (a document that signals immigration proceedings). Immigration attorneys now advise workers to leave the country quickly after a layoff to avoid long-term immigration consequences.
Recent political commentary has added fuel to the uncertainty. President Donald Trump publicly urged American firms to “stop hiring in India”. Reactions were divided. Among those working in the United States, 63% believed it would benefit their companies. But for workers in India, 69% feared negative effects.
Policy changes are also shifting the ground under workers’ feet. On August 8, 2025, the US Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs approved a wage-based H-1B selection system. This will replace the current lottery-based system. Instead of random selection, applicants with higher salary offers will now get preference. As reported by Business Standard, this will make it harder for entry-level professionals and fresh graduates to qualify.
Each year, the H-1B cap sits at 85,000 visas (65,000 for general applicants and 20,000 for those with US master’s degrees or higher). When applications exceed the cap, a draw is conducted. Tech firms remain the largest users of this programme, with thousands of Indian professionals relying on these visas to live and work in the United States.
Now, more than ever, their future feels uncertain, caught between evolving policies, economic shifts and decisions they do not control.