F-1’s Cruel Dilemma: 30 LPA or H-1B Struggle?

Every year, thousands of Indian students go to the United States on F-1 visas with dreams of building a better life. But for many the brutal reality of the job market is hitting after graduation.

A Master’s student is now finding it hard to leave America despite being jobless in the country and having a good offer back home. Taking to social media the F-1 visa holder said that he is weeks away from finishing his master’s degree without any job offers. However, if he goes back to India, a job with ₹30 lakhs per annum package is waiting for him immediately.

Despite applying for months and getting a few interviews, the job hunt in the US has been frustrating. Employers ghosting applicants the moment H-1B sponsorship is mentioned has become a common occurrence now.

While ₹30 LPA offer in India is no small deal, the student is still caught in the dilemma just because he, like many others, expected more from his American endeavor.

It is getting harder to find sponsorships in the US job market for international students with F-1, OPT, or CPT permits. You can always keep applying and come back later but there’s no guarantee it will work.

At the end of the day, many Indians will have to face this bitter reality that the US is no longer the land of opportunities.