Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has voiced his support for the H1-B visa program while praising the contributions of immigrants to the tech industry. Notably, Pichai, who is an IIT-Madras graduate himself, came to the United States on an H1-B visa, but recent orders from the Trump administration have made it harder for tech companies to hire skilled workers.
In an interaction with the BBC, Pichai was asked about the US government’s crackdown on H1-Bs, to which he replied, “If you look at the history of technology development, the contribution of immigrants to this sector has been nothing short of phenomenal.”
“I think the government understands that. I think there’s a framework where we can all still bring in our talented individuals, and I think they’re making changes to address some of the flaws in the current program, and I think we’ll be able to continue to invest,” Pichai added.
Notably, since Donald Trump’s return to power in the US, there has been a resurgence of “America First” immigration policies and growing fears that there could be drastic changes to the H1-B policy that could impact highly skilled professionals and students from countries like India, China and the Philippines.
Some US lawmakers have even proposed legislation that would end the H1-B visa program altogether or drastically reduce the number of applicants accepted. Meanwhile, there has been tighter visa control and a suspected higher rejection rate. The US administration also raised the H1-B visa fee paid by employers to $100,000, from the previous fee of around $2,000 to $5,000.
Notably, the H-1B is a temporary nonimmigrant visa to the US that is often used by US companies to hire top foreign talent. As the AI race grows, the demand for highly skilled workers is rising, and companies like Meta are luring AI engineers and researchers for what are said to be millions of dollars in packages.
What did Pichai say about Trump’s earlier H1-B visa order?
Notably, Pichai’s recent comment is toned down compared to his tweet in response to the 2020 H1-B temporary suspension.
“Immigration has contributed immensely to America’s economic success, making it the global leader in technology and Google that it is today. Disappointed by today’s announcement – we will continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunities for all,” Pichai tweeted on X (formerly Twitter).
