This first-person narrative is drawn from an in-depth conversation with 33-year-old Shreya Mishra Reddy, who currently serves as a technical program manager at Visa and resides in Austin, Texas. Business Insider has verified her employment with the company, her immigration status, and her repeated yet unsuccessful attempts to secure an H-1B visa through the lottery. The account below has been carefully edited to ensure clarity and readability, while still preserving her authentic voice.
Contrary to what many might assume of someone who built her career abroad, I never really aspired to live in the United States. Growing up in India, I envisioned my professional and personal future unfolding near my family, close to my parents with whom I share a deep bond. However, as life often unfolds in unexpected directions, in December 2021, I embarked on a significant transition: I moved to the United States to enroll in a Master’s program in engineering management at Duke University. By the summer of 2022, I had successfully graduated and, soon after, secured a professional position at Visa in 2023 as a technical program manager—a major stepping stone in my ongoing career journey.
My ambition was to continue learning and working in the U.S., building on the opportunities created by my education and early professional roles. Unfortunately, the primary legal pathway to remain in the country after completion of my Optional Practical Training—the coveted H-1B work visa—remained elusive. Despite applying on three separate occasions through the highly competitive lottery system, my registration was never selected for processing. This repeated disappointment weighed heavily on me. When I later learned about proposed policy changes under the Trump administration, particularly the plan to impose a staggering $100,000 fee on employers filing new H-1B petitions, I felt an overwhelming sense of despair, as though the already remote possibility of continuing legally in the U.S. had become even less realistic.
Currently, my student-based work authorization, which had permitted me to work full-time in the country, is set to expire in January. My original fallback plan was to return to India and continue applying for H-1B positions from abroad, with the hope of reentering the U.S. later. Yet now, with this enormous financial burden proposed for employers willing to sponsor workers like me, that plan seems virtually unattainable.
Before making the move to the U.S., I had invested over five and a half years of my career at Tata Consultancy Services in Bengaluru. My trajectory there had been rewarding and stable, but I sought to broaden my horizons and enhance my professional credibility through higher education abroad. Inspired by colleagues who had successfully advanced their paths by studying in Europe and the U.S., I decided to pursue an advanced degree as well. Being admitted to Duke University, which is widely regarded as part of the prestigious group of top-tier institutions in the U.S., felt like a dream fulfilled.
I arrived in America on an F-1 student visa. Because my field fell under the STEM category, I was entitled to extend my stay through up to three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allowed me to gain invaluable professional experience in my chosen discipline. After being hired by Visa in February 2023, the company supported me by submitting my registration for the H-1B process. Since the H-1B system relies on random lottery selection due to demand far exceeding supply, I soon discovered the sobering reality: despite strong qualifications and employer support, I was not chosen. The same result occurred in the following year. At the time, I had just completed a leadership program offered by Harvard Business School while simultaneously excelling in my role at Visa. The rejection was bitterly disheartening; it left me questioning why, even after substantial academic accomplishments and professional achievements, my future hinged on the roll of a dice.
By April 2025, when I learned for a third time that my name was not selected, I thought I had braced myself emotionally. Yet, the reality hit me with devastating force—I broke down at my office desk upon seeing the outcome. With my OPT authorization ending in January 2026, the countdown now feels inescapably real: I must very likely prepare to exit the U.S. before this deadline unless an alternative opens up.
Looking toward the future, I am still uncertain about what comes next. Continuing my education with another Master’s degree in the U.S. had been under consideration, as had the idea of returning to India first and then seeking an H-1B role from abroad, a route that theoretically could allow me to resume working in the U.S. while still pursuing studies. But given the proposed $100,000 petition fee, this option seems increasingly unrealistic. While I have faith in the résumé I have built—anchored in global academic credentials and reinforced by professional expertise at a Fortune 500 company—I do wonder whether prospective employers will deem me “$100,000 good.”
Alternatives outside the U.S. are on my radar, yet moving abroad to any other country comes with complexities ranging from immigration policy barriers to cultural transitions. In the meantime, I know India’s economy, and particularly its vibrant and expanding start-up scene, offers real possibilities. With the credibility gained from institutions like Duke and Harvard, coupled with my time at Visa, I believe my candidacy for leadership roles will be far stronger than before. Nevertheless, I worry deeply about other international students currently navigating similar challenges. With fluctuating immigration regulations and ambiguity about whether new fees might also affect those already studying in the U.S., countless talented individuals could soon find themselves excluded from opportunities that once seemed achievable. Coupled with an unfavorable job market and the growing replacement of certain roles by artificial intelligence, I cannot escape the concern that the horizons for many future graduates may be shrinking.
Reflecting on my own journey, leaving the U.S. after four years of intense contribution feels bittersweet. Despite relentless immigration barriers, I cannot bring myself to declare my American dream a failure. On the contrary, I cherish the time I have had here—the high-quality education, the professional milestones, and the warmth of communities that opened their arms to me. The U.S. has allowed me to grow, to contribute meaningfully, and to expand both personally and professionally in ways I will always carry with me.
I also understand that governments implement policies they believe align with national interest. Yet, from where I stand, the pursuit of the American dream is increasingly becoming a gamble fraught with uncertainty. For aspiring students and workers, it may only make sense to invest in coming here if they can accept the very real possibility of departing once their temporary work authorization concludes, should the H-1B path not materialize. To stake one’s entire future on this single route is ultimately far too precarious.
In the end, I know that I have already contributed significantly—both financially and intellectually—to the U.S. economy and society. Having to leave without a secured future is profoundly disappointing. Still, I carry forward the conviction that these years were not wasted, and though it is sad to close this chapter, they have prepared me well for whatever comes next—be that in India, another country, or perhaps someday even back in the U.S. under different circumstances.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-h1b-visa-fee-100k-international-student-india-leaving-america-2025-10
