Microsoft, Google, Amazon are urging H-1B employees ‘not to leave the US’

For many foreign tech workers, the fear is no longer about “what if.” It’s about what comes next—and how to protect the lives they’ve built in America.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House made tech workers on H-1B visas once again feel the pressure—and the message from some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley is loud and clear: avoid international travel if you can.

Companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and others are urging caution among their foreign-born employees, warning that re-entry into the United States may no longer be a sure thing.

Notably, the POTUS could reinstate policies that make it harder for legal immigrants to live and work in the U.S.

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Tech giants warn H-1B workers to stay put amind travel concerns

Washington Post reported that tech giants are specifically advising workers on H-1B visas to stay put, fearing that any overseas travel could result in visa complications or outright denial at the border.

The anxiety is especially intense among Indian professionals, who make up the largest group of H-1B recipients. “What we’re seeing right now is just a lot of worry and panic,” Malcolm Goeschl, principal attorney for Goeschl Law told The Post.

“It seems like [the administration is] just getting more and more momentum, and we don’t know what’s around the corner.”

Two Indian H-1B workers told the Washington Post they had already cancelled their planned trips home, fearing they might not be allowed back.

One of them went as far as to say they were worried about Trump’s renewed interest in ending birthright citizenship. “There’s an assumption that everybody who is not a U.S. citizen might be here illegally,” one Indian H-1B holder said.

“When we’re walking around, we always carry our documents,” another expressed.

“It’s causing a fair amount of panic. Even for people who have lived here for most of their lives, it’s disabling and inhibiting their ability to function,” Goeschl concluded.

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Even though Trump once expressed support for the H-1B program, his administration’s previous policies and the current political rhetoric are causing widespread concern.

While some of his allies, like Elon Musk, have openly supported expanding the skilled immigration pipeline to bring in top talent. “The number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low,” he posted, and added, “If you want your TEAM to win the championship, you need to recruit top talent wherever they may be.”