Getting my H

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-11T07:04:15.990Z • Permanent link

Soumi Chanda, a software engineer at Amazon, was one of the thousands of tech workers laid off from the tech giant in May 2023. Chanda's situation was not unique, as the tech industry was facing significant disruptions due to the debate over a proposed $100,000 H-1B fee. The proposed fee was intended to cap the number of foreign workers allowed in the US and was met with fierce opposition from tech companies and industry groups. Amazon, along with other tech giants, was among the companies that lobbied against the fee, arguing that it would harm the US economy and limit the country's ability to attract top talent from around the world.

Chanda's experience highlights the challenges faced by foreign workers in the US, particularly those who are seeking to obtain an H-1B visa. According to data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there were over 500,000 H-1B petitions filed in 2022, with over 85% of them coming from Indian nationals. The proposed $100,000 fee would have significantly increased the cost of obtaining an H-1B visa, making it more difficult for foreign workers to enter the US labor market. Chanda's story is a testament to the challenges faced by foreign workers in the US and the need for policymakers to carefully consider the impact of such policies on the economy.

Chanda's situation also highlights the complexities of the H-1B visa process. Despite having Amazon on her résumé, Chanda was not able to get any interviews the following month after being laid off. She later spoke out about her experience, stating that getting her H-1B on the first try felt like "pure luck." Chanda's story is a reminder that the H-1B visa process is often unpredictable and can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the specific job requirements, the company's reputation, and the individual's qualifications.

The proposed $100,000 H-1B fee would have significant real-world implications for the data sources domain. Companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, which have large H-1B visa programs, would have been disproportionately affected by the fee. These companies rely heavily on foreign workers to fill key positions in their research and development teams, and a significant increase in the cost of obtaining an H-1B visa would have made it more difficult for them to attract and retain top talent. Research communities, such as universities and research institutions, would also have been impacted, as they rely on foreign workers to conduct research and develop new technologies.

The impact of the proposed H-1B fee would have been felt across multiple markets, including the tech industry, academia, and the US economy as a whole. A significant increase in the cost of obtaining an H-1B visa would have led to a decrease in the number of foreign workers entering the US labor market, which would have had a negative impact on the US economy. The US economy relies heavily on foreign workers to fill key positions in industries such as tech, healthcare, and finance, and a decrease in the number of foreign workers would have had significant consequences for the economy.

The debate over the proposed $100,000 H-1B fee is part of a larger pattern of tensions between the US and other countries, particularly India, over immigration and labor policies. The US has long been a major destination for foreign workers, and there have been tensions over the years between the US and countries such as India over issues such as visa policies and labor laws. In recent years, there have been efforts to limit the number of foreign workers entering the US, particularly in industries such as tech, and the proposed H-1B fee is part of this broader trend.