A Reddit user who recently returned to India after working at Amazon US has shared insights into the H-1B visa system and workplace culture in the US. In a post titled ‘Returned from USA recently. My take on H1B situation and why Americans hate Indians taking up jobs there’, the user cited “toxic behaviour” of Indian managers as one factor influencing his decision to return.
The post alleges that some managers exploit employees on visas, knowing the complexities and vulnerabilities of their immigration status. The Redditor also claimed that certain companies practise community-based hiring, favouring candidates from specific states or linguistic groups, such as Telugu-speaking employees at Walmart or Gujarati candidates at Intel.
The post comes amid recent changes to the H-1B visa programme under US President Donald Trump, which introduced a USD 1,00,000 annual fee for new H-1B petitions. Existing visa holders and renewals are reportedly unaffected by the new fee.
While the user criticised aspects of workplace culture and visa-related exploitation, he also highlighted the value of US work experience, noting that his decision to return was influenced by personal reasons alongside professional challenges.
The post has sparked wider discussion online about the H-1B system, workplace equity, and the experiences of foreign tech workers in the US.