A growing wave of skepticism toward H-1B visa holders is beginning to ripple across U.S. workplaces, leaving employees and employers alike navigating unexpected tensions. Once largely confined to political debates and immigration policy circles, anti–H-1B sentiment is now influencing hiring decisions, team dynamics, and workplace culture.
An Indian tech manager working in the United States has spoken out about the challenges of facing bias in the workplace, describing a growing sense of frustration and alienation. He says he feels unfairly judged based on stereotypes often associated with Indian professionals in the tech industry, noting that assumptions about work habits and roles are increasingly affecting how colleagues perceive and interact with him.
“I’m an Indian manager and I feel hated for things I didn’t do,” the user wrote in an anonymous post on the workplace discussion platform Blind. He shared that he came to the U.S. on an H-1B visa, worked his way up from level L5 to L7, and has always believed in fairness and merit. The post highlights how even seasoned professionals with a track record of achievement are encountering bias tied to nationality and visa status.
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The Indian manager shared that throughout his career, he has mentored colleagues from diverse backgrounds and made hiring decisions strictly based on talent, without regard for race, caste, or nationality. Despite this, he says he increasingly faces subtle hostility toward Indians in tech, both online and within his workplace. He described the shift as disheartening, noting that stereotypes and broader anti–H-1B sentiment are now shaping interactions and perceptions in ways he had never experienced before.
“Recently, I see so much anger toward Indians in tech. Online, people say we only hire our own, or that we bring the caste system here. It breaks me because I’ve spent my whole career trying to do the opposite,” he wrote.
The manager admitted that despite spending years in the U.S., he often feels isolated. “I moved to the U.S. to belong but still feel like I live in India as my social circle is mostly Indians,” he said, reflecting on the social and professional distance he experiences. He added that he questions whether he was “too naive” in thinking that hard work and fairness alone would carry him through. “I don’t know when being Indian in tech turned into something people resent,” he concluded, highlighting the growing sense of alienation many foreign professionals report in today’s shifting workplace climate.
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The post quickly gained traction online, sparking a wider conversation about workplace bias and the experiences of H-1B visa holders.
“I would never work for a H1B manager. They will never stand up for you and throw you under the bus to protect their job and status. You might be a good one but I can’t take that chance. Incentives are too perverse. I’ve never seen a H1B manager who wasn’t completely docile and a slavish,” one of the users wrote.
“I am a US citizen never on H1B but Indian origin.I am angry at what this flood of low skill uncivilized H1Bs have done to the industry and our reputation. 20 years ago, Indians were respected. Now, we are hated. Why? Because of H1B scammers flooding in who cannot behave themselves and make us all look bad. So no one feels sorry for H1Bs. I have worked very hard too, but H1Bs make it hard for US citizens, so no sympathy,” while another commented, outpouring their outburst.
“Ignore the racist comments you see online. It’s sad to see the general state of racism against Indian people,” while another user gave response complete different from other users.