Trump’s H-1B restrictions push more tech professionals toward India and China

President Donald Trump’s tightening of H-1B immigration rules is encouraging some technology professionals from India and China to reconsider their careers in the United States and return to their home countries.

For professionals on H-1B visas, losing a job can create significant uncertainty because they generally have a limited period to find another employer. Recent changes and proposed additional costs for H-1B applications have added to concerns among foreign technology workers and the companies that employ them.

Deepak, an Indian technology professional who had spent about 15 years in the US, returned to India with his family after losing his job. Although he found another technology position soon after being laid off, he chose to return because of concerns surrounding his immigration status and the changing H-1B environment.

The proposed US$100,000 fee for new H-1B applications created further uncertainty for employers and workers. Although a federal judge later struck down the policy, the administration has continued pursuing tighter requirements, including a proposed US$4,000 surcharge for certain H-1B extensions and renewals.

Indian and Chinese nationals represent the largest groups among H-1B visa holders, with many employed in the technology sector. At the same time, layoffs, hiring freezes and AI-related workforce restructuring have made the US technology job market more competitive.

Data cited by The Straits Times from talent consulting firm Xpheno shows that around 15,100 Indian professionals returned to India in 2025, compared with about 9,800 in 2024. Around 7,300 had already returned in 2026 at the time of the report.

China is also seeing a significant flow of overseas-educated talent returning home. Chinese Ministry of Education figures showed that 536,000 students returned to China after graduation in 2025, an increase of 8.3 per cent from the previous year.

India’s growing number of Global Capability Centres is providing some opportunities for returning professionals. Xpheno said its research found that leading GCCs had recruited thousands of mid- and senior-level technology professionals over the previous year, including professionals returning from the US.

However, returning to India does not necessarily mean receiving higher compensation. Professionals without specialised data or AI expertise may face smaller salary packages compared with what they earned in the US.

China’s expanding technology sector is also attracting professionals who previously considered building careers in America. Some Chinese technology workers are choosing to return because of uncertainty surrounding US employment visas and the restrictions that can limit their career mobility.

The trend could have wider implications for the technology sectors of India, China and the United States as skilled professionals reassess where they want to build their careers.