The Impact of H-1B Visa Program on American Workers

There’s a rising concern about how the workforce is evolving. Many people feel that those creating technology and services aren’t in touch with our realities, and alarming stats suggest that young people are being edged out of the job market.

From what we’ve observed in the corporate tech landscape, it’s clear that the H-1B visa program has disrupted our workplaces significantly. Security concerns have come to light, and the standard of everyday software has taken a hit. Most troubling is the impact on job availability for American workers.

It’s frustrating to think that we’re living in a future designed by corporations that seem indifferent to the needs of American employees. I’ve spent over a decade working in tech, and it’s disheartening to see a declining number of fellow Americans in these roles, especially post-COVID-19. Meanwhile, foreign offices are expanding, and an influx of visa-holding workers is apparent. These aren’t just entry-level positions; they tend to oversee essential functions, like managing medical databases or coding apps for banks.

The results are glaring. Many bank apps we use are incredibly slow, and even simple online bill payments can be a test of patience. This poor performance can often be traced back to decisions made in the boardrooms of major companies. The pattern is clear: fire American workers, bring in cheaper labor, and label it as efficiency. Why pay a local engineer top dollar when H-1B workers can be hired for less and easily let go if they don’t meet high expectations?

This trend is not an isolated incident. I’ve seen it happen consistently across various firms.

As these H-1B hires advance to leadership positions, they often focus on identifying “inefficiencies,” which mostly means laying off American staff. Then they advocate for more H-1B visas or partnerships with firms filled with overseas talent.

Executives tend to endorse this move since hiring foreign teams often comes with lower costs, and these teams rarely push back against even the most unrealistic demands. Eventually, when the savings are appealing enough, companies close American departments and shift operations to places like Bangalore. Look at the savings!

For those that remain, the work environment can be grueling. Imagine waking up for meetings at 6 a.m. Indian Standard Time, being surrounded by colleagues who might not share your language or cultural references, or facing a career path with little to no upward mobility. And that’s if you’re fortunate enough to have a job at all.

The statistics only deepen the concern. According to a report, only 41% of college graduates in 2024 found jobs related to their field, and projections indicate that this will drop to 30% in 2025. While some have pointed to AI as a culprit, that narrative doesn’t quite align with the data. Recent findings indicate that despite corporate investment in AI tools, a shocking 95% of organizations aren’t seeing any real benefits, even with a large portion of employees already utilizing AI in some capacity.

So one might wonder, if AI is indeed automating white-collar jobs, why do companies still request so many H-1B visas? The reality is simple: it remains the easiest way for corporate leaders to cut costs, enhance their bonuses, and fund those dream homes, while American workers bear the brunt of these decisions.

The U.S. doesn’t owe it to itself to subsidize a workforce that displaces its own. We shouldn’t have to accept a future where industries no longer prioritize our employment or where the products and services we use fail to meet our needs. The American middle class was crucial in building our technological landscape, and this shouldn’t be sacrificed for short-term savings that erode the very fabric of our economy.

It’s time for a change.