The tech industry, long known for its strong foundation of immigrant founders, executives, and developers, is facing growing uncertainty. As the Trump administration tightens immigration policies, many foreign tech workers fear disruptions to their careers and livelihoods.
Tech companies are advising employees on visas to avoid leaving the US due to concerns about reentry issues. Law firms warn that denial rates for high-skilled visas may increase, as they did during Trump’s first term. Additionally, the administration’s push to revoke automatic citizenship for US-born children of immigrants has sparked anxiety about future generations’ citizenship status.
Change in visa policies trigger fear
The government has recently revoked visas and green cards of individuals it accuses of ties to Hamas and Hezbollah, creating heightened concerns for immigrant professionals. Many who have followed immigration laws and built careers in the tech industry now fear sudden changes in policy.
“What we’re seeing right now is just a lot of worry and panic,” said Malcolm Goeschl, principal attorney at Goeschl Law, a business immigration firm serving Silicon Valley clients, as quoted by The Washington Post. “It seems like [the administration is] just getting more and more momentum, and we don’t know what’s around the corner.”
Immigrant workers in tech
Silicon Valley’s immigrant tech community has been instrumental in US innovation and competitiveness. A 2018 study by the National Foundation for American Policy found that over half of US startups valued at more than $1 billion had immigrant founders.
Tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Uber, and Nvidia are all led by immigrant CEOs. Experts warn that restricting skilled immigrant visas could weaken the US tech sector’s ability to compete with China in artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge fields.
“That’s the beauty of our tech ecosystem—you can hire the best and brightest from anywhere,” said Divyansh Kaushik, vice president at Beacon Global Strategies, a think tank advising tech companies on geopolitical risks.
H-1B visa dependency in Silicon Valley
H-1B visas are a key component of Silicon Valley’s talent strategy, allowing companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers. Each year, approximately 65,000 H-1B visas are granted through a lottery system, with the majority going to applicants from India, followed by China and Canada.
Among major tech firms, Amazon leads in H-1B approvals, followed by Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple. Even Tesla, whose CEO Elon Musk supports reducing federal government spending under Trump, had 1,767 H-1B visas approved in the fiscal year ending September 2024.
H-1B visa approvals for major tech companies (FY 2024)
Amazon – 14,764
Infosys – 8,185
Cognizant – 7,949
Tata Group – 7,721
Google – 5,369
Meta (Facebook) – 4,847
Microsoft – 4,725
Apple – 3,880
Debate over H-1B visas in Trump’s coalition
The H-1B visa program has sparked division within Trump’s coalition. While tech leaders advocate for immigrant talent, others push for stricter immigration policies. This debate played out publicly in December when both sides clashed on X (formerly Twitter) over whether Trump should expand or restrict skilled immigration.
Musk weighed in on Christmas Day, writing, “The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low. If you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be.”
Some Republicans, including former presidential candidate Nikki Haley, countered that the US should invest in education to train more American-born tech workers.
Trump’s uncertain on H-1B visa policy
Although Trump once vowed to end the H-1B programme, he has recently spoken positively about skilled immigration. Several of Trump’s key tech advisers are immigrants, including:
David Sacks, White House AI and crypto czar, originally from South Africa.
Sriram Krishnan, a former Twitter executive from India, now advising on AI policy.
Elon Musk, a longtime Trump ally, who immigrated from South Africa via Canada.
While no official changes have been announced, major immigration law firms are advising clients to prepare for unpredictability. Concerns include:
- Sudden policy shifts affecting skilled visa programs.
- Slower processing times for H-1B and other work visas.
- Increased scrutiny of applicants’ political beliefs and social media activity.