Google, Amazon, Microsoft caution H-1B visa employees against leaving US amid Donald Trump's strict policies

Big US tech companies, including Google, Amazon and Microsoft, have cautioned their employees on H-1B visas to avoid leaving the country due to concerns about reentry issues, as they might not be allowed back in, as a Washington Post report. This comes amid increasing uncertainty around the Trump government's new immigration policies. The H-1B program plays a crucial role in the US IT industry. The program uses a lottery system to approve about 65,000 visas a year, mostly for Indians, followed by Chinese and Canadian citizens.

The US government, led by Donald Trump, has recently revoked the visas and green cards of individuals it accuses of ties to Hamas and Hezbollah, creating heightened concerns for immigrant professionals. The US 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 USD 1 billion had immigrant founders.

While tech leaders advocate for immigrant talent, others push for stricter immigration policies. Reports suggest that Indian H-1B visa holders are facing additional difficulties as a result of the uncertainty caused by Trump's enforcement of strict visa regulations. Some employees claim that they are now required to carry documents at all times while they are in public.