Nidhi Sharma

Suggestions for H1B friends who are already their in US and not immediately affected by this 100K H1B fee: You are not safe just because you don't immediately need a renewal or travel outside of US. Companies will eventually make policies that impact all H1Bs. . You are lucky as you have some time to execute the below suggestions to come out ahead, while you still can: - Dispose all your assets in the US while there is still time. Do NOT delay this. - Start with hard assets like houses. Dont wait to maximise the profit. US housing market can collapse any time and H1B sell off can trigger it. The first movers will get out fine. Accept the first good offer you get and move to a small rental. Sell off useless furniture. - If your family members are dependents, send them back to India asap. Schooling can be worked out. - Buy an apartment or plot of land in India if you don't have one already. - Sell off expensive cars and get a used cheap car. - Move money from US stock market and invest in Gold ETFs in India. Unlike US ETFs, Indian ETFs have equivalent physical gold. This will protect your investment from US-INR conversion volatility. - Get out of crypto. Holding crypto while in India is going to be a regulatory hassle. - Avoid paying for expensive tuition in the US if your kids are not US citizens or expected to be GC holders by the time they graduate. There are good private colleges in India they can go to. - Apply for a role in GCC in India if your company has an Indian GCC or apply for roles in Dubai or Singapore or other GCCs in India. Being stuck in the US with no path to GC and unable to change jobs or visit your family is mental torture. Don't prolong the suffering. Wisdom is knowing when to cut the losses. .

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Is recent H-1B visa fee hike a blessing in disguise for Indian professionals? With the new fees making it costlier for companies to sponsor talent abroad, many global firms will now rethink… Do we really need to move talent overseas? Or can we just work with them where they are? And that’s where Indian employees shine: - Companies are increasingly open to remote hiring. - Indian professionals bring world-class skills at competitive costs. - Strong digital infrastructure makes working across borders seamless. The result? Instead of brain drain, we might see global opportunities come knocking at our doors right here in India. This is our chance to embrace the shift to upskill, collaborate globally, and show that world-class work doesn’t always need relocation. Sometimes, what feels like a challenge is actually the start of a new opportunity. #DipaWrites #H1BVisa #H1BFeeHike #RemoteHiring #FutureOfWork #IndianTalent #DCConsultants

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The recent $100,000 annual fee hike on H-1B visas is more than just another policy tweak- it’s a seismic shift for the global talent economy. While this move disrupts US companies access to India’s top tech talent, it simultaneously unlocks a new era of opportunity for India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Rather than viewing this as a setback, forward-thinking leaders should see it as a catalyst: India’s GCCs aren’t just cost arbitrage destinations anymore, they are engines of innovation, digital transformation and global leadership development. As talent pipelines to the US narrow, expect a surge in high value projects, AI research and product incubation right here in India’s tech hubs. Organizations will need to rapidly reposition GCCs from “support hubs” to “Growth Catalyst Centres” - places where strategic decision making, rapid scaling and next gen leadership converge. To global businesses and rising tech leaders:Now is the moment to build not just for India, but from India. The future of global capability, innovation and tech leadership will be shaped by those who seize this inflection point, transforming GCCs into the world’s new headquarters for talent, creativity and growth. Let’s make India the epic centre of the next digital revolution. #GCC #H1B #IndiaInnovation #DigitalLeadership #GrowthCatalyst #FutureOfWork

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Alert: New grads may soon face much lower H‑1B visa chances. Trump has proposed changing the H-1B lottery to be salary-based instead of random. Right now, every applicant has ~30% odds in a blind draw. But under this plan? Your salary could decide your future. Here’s what law firms are predicting for selection odds: Level I: ~10% Level II: 15~30% Level III: 55~70% Level IV: 90%~ How to estimate your own chances ⬇️ 1. Go to: onetonline.org to find your job’s code 2. Go to DOL official (https://lnkd.in/gUvMuMZ9 ) Enter the code + location to see your wage level This policy benefits: → High-paying roles like MLE, AI, Quant → Big tech companies (they tend to offer higher salaries) → Experienced workers who didn’t get selected in the past, their odds now go up. Who might get hurt: → Entry-level / new grads → Startups/non-profit that can’t afford to pay high wages But this is still just a proposal! It has to go through multiple reviews and final rulemaking.  Instead of stressing, what you can do right now is: 1️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐲 Build in‑demand, high‑value skills like AI/ML engineering, large‑scale data systems, cloud architecture, LLM fine‑tuning. Stronger skills = higher offers = better H‑1B odds 2️⃣ 𝐏𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫-𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 SWE → AI/ML Engineer Generalist PM → Technical PM / Growth PM Designer → UX Researcher or Product Designer These roles often offer salaries that fall into Level III–IV. 3️⃣ 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 Big Tech and top startups pay well, but also consider cap‑exempt employers, universities, research institutes, and hospitals where H‑1B slots aren’t limited. 4️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 $85K in the Bay Area might be Level I That same $85K in Austin or North Carolina could be Level III. 5️⃣ 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 Use Jobright to filter H-1B jobs with high pay https://lnkd.in/gGNZp5Rj #H1B #JobSearch #InternationalStudents #CareerTips #EntryLevelJobs

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Massive implications for companies hiring: Trump plans to add a $100,000 fee for each H-1B visa. If enacted, this would be the most dramatic cost increase the H-1B program has ever seen. For context, the current government filing fees for an H-1B petition run a few thousand dollars. An additional $100K per employee fundamentally changes the math for any company relying on international talent. Tech firms would feel it first. More than 70% of H-1B visas historically go to computer and engineering roles. The same roles already commanding record salaries in the U.S. The result: • Higher total cost per hire, which pressures salary budgets or headcount plans. • More competition for U.S.-based talent, pushing domestic salaries even higher. • Greater leverage for top candidates as companies scramble to retain and grow critical teams without that international pipeline. We’ve already seen total compensation climb steadily for in-demand engineering roles. If access to global talent tightens, expect that curve to steepen. Companies may respond with bigger cash offers, richer equity refreshers, or both. We’ll be tracking how this plays out in real time on Levels.fyi. Our data already shows how talent shortages drive salary spikes, and this policy could accelerate that trend. Read more on this news here: https://lnkd.in/gqyN4wJi

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🚨 Big Shift in Global Tech Hiring 🚨 The U.S. has officially implemented a new H-1B rule: ➡️ Any new H-1B petition from outside the U.S. must now include a $100,000 fee. ➡️ This applies to specialty occupation hires starting September 21, 2025, and will remain in place for 12 months (unless extended). ➡️ Current visa holders and certain renewals are exempt, but the cost barrier for new talent is massive. 💡 What does this mean? Hiring a mid-level engineer in the U.S. under H-1B rules can now cost nearly $307,000 in the first year. In comparison, outsourcing to Pakistan delivers 10–15× cost savings, while still offering skilled engineers, product managers, designers, and QA talent. 🌍 The Opportunity for Pakistan If even 5–10% of U.S. H-1B demand shifts offshore, Pakistan’s IT exports (currently ~$3.5–4B annually) could rise by $1–2B in just 3 years. But here’s the catch: Pakistan’s long-term success will depend on more than cost savings. To become a strategic global partner, we must invest in: 🔹 Stronger communication & soft skills 🔹 Business acumen and client alignment 🔹 Reliable infrastructure & time-zone readiness #H1B #TechPakistan #ITExports #Outsourcing #DigitalTransformation #GlobalTalent #CodersTechnology #MuhammadArslanKhan

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🚨𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇-𝟏𝐁 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬! Starting Sept 21, every new #H1B visa will reportedly cost companies a jaw-dropping $100,000 (~₹88 lakh). For context: current costs are around $1,500–$6,000. This isn’t just a price hike - it’s a #Paradigm shift. This drastic hike will ripple through the Indian & USA IT ecosystem in very different ways. 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 👇 1️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨.𝗦.𝗔 - Costs of maintaining onsite staff will rise sharply. - Many may reconsider renewals or move roles back offshore to India. 2️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗨.𝗦.𝗔. 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 - Surprisingly, they benefit. 💡 - With fewer competitors sending staff onsite, remote delivery from India becomes the default, increasing project opportunities. 3️⃣ 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 - The $100k price tag will deter mass hiring. - Only niche experts (AI, cybersecurity, advanced cloud) may still get sponsored. 4️⃣ 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 - Big win here ✅ - Remote-first hiring will accelerate, making India a global talent pool without visa costs. 5️⃣ 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 & 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 - Neutral to positive impact ✅ - Since their model already focuses on remote staff augmentation, they avoid the $100k H-1B burden. - In fact, demand for their services may grow, as U.S. firms will prefer remote contractors over expensive onsite hires. 6️⃣ 𝗨.𝗦.-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 - Expect outsourcing to increase significantly. - Onsite costs become unrealistic, so companies will shift to project-based, offshore, and managed service models. 7️⃣ 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 & 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗜𝗧 - The era of mass onsite deployment is ending. - Remote & offshore delivery will dominate. - Indian companies who adapt to remote talent management will thrive. - U.S. companies must balance higher local costs with offshore partnerships. 8️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 & 𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 - Onsite opportunities will become rare - Only top-tier, niche-skilled engineers will be worth $100k sponsorship Remote roles for U.S. companies will rise sharply 🌍 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: The era of mass H-1B deployments is ending. The future is remote, offshore, and digital collaboration. - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞 This change isn’t just about visas. It’s about resetting global IT collaboration. India’s role as the remote IT hub of the world just got stronger. 👉 What do you think, will this accelerate India’s role as the global remote IT hub? #TechIndustry #RemoteWork #Outsourcing #IndianIT

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Initially, the H-1B proclamation came as a shocker. Now it’s an advantage for existing H-1B holders, particularly for product managers and director-level candidates. The U.S. will now charge $100k per new H-1B visa, and the supply of international talent is expected to drop. But the demand for experienced product managers will not. Companies still need leaders who can drive strategy, scale products, and align teams. And when they look around, the most “ready-to-hire” candidates are the ones already here on valid H-1Bs. (That's you) That scarcity is shifting the market. I’ve seen my product manager-level clients: - Command 30–40% higher compensation packages - Land interviews at companies that previously passed on them - Get promoted or hired directly into leadership tracks (even skipping levels) But none of this happens automatically. Just because the market is tilted in your favor doesn’t mean a company will hand you the role or the raise. You have to show them you’re worth the premium. And that requires a shift in how you operate. You need to: - Position yourself as the person who sets strategy, not just executes it - Step out of your immediate team and make your impact visible across the org - Walk into interviews already acting like the leader they want to hire For many of my clients, these shifts have been the difference between plateauing at “senior Product Manager” and landing $300K–$900K+ leadership roles, even in a so-called bad market. If you’re a product manager on an H-1B, this is your window to land your next-level role with a raise. -> Share this with someone who's an H-1B and feeling stuck. -> Follow me for actionable advice and take your career to the next level with $300k-$900k+ leadership roles.

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