An Amazon employee claims that Donald Trump’s decision to raise the H-1B fee to $100,000 was the final tipping point behind his decision to quit the visa race and leave the United States.
An Amazon employee says he is quitting the H-1B visa race.
In a video shared on Instagram, user @scotthuang2k said he had one-and-a-half years still to go on his OPT work permit, and one H-1B lottery attempt still left. However, he has decided not to apply for an H-1B visa this time, instead preferring to focus on his own company overseas.
Quitting the H-1B race
“I’m a foreign engineer with one and a half years of OPT remaining, but I’ve already decided to quit my $180,000 big tech job and leave the US,” he said.
The content creator, who claims to be an Amazon employee, said that constant anxiety about his immigration status in the United States was the reason behind his decision to leave.
“For three years, I woke up every morning with a knot in my stomach. Not because of work, but because my entire life depended on one policy I couldn’t control,” he said.
The Chinese man said that he asked himself if he had ever truly relaxed in America. The answer was no.
No peace of mind
“I came here for financial freedom and peace of mind, but instead I live in constant fear. There’s never a moment I could just breathe,” he revealed. “Student visa, OPT, H-1B, green card – it’s an endless cycle of anxiety.”
So now, instead of betting his future on a lottery, the Amazon employee has decided to start his own US company and run it from overseas. “The new American dream: earn US salary while living anywhere. Starting a US company remotely, enjoying better healthcare abroad, lower living costs, and actual freedom,” he explained in the caption, adding: “From FAANG employee to global founder – here’s why this will be the best career decision I ever make.”
FAANG is the internet acronym for the world’s biggest tech companies – Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google.
What is F-1 OPT?
F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a temporary employment benefit for F-1 international students in the United States. It allows recent graduates to gain practical work experience in their field of study, usually for up to 12 months (with an additional 24-month STEM extension for eligible degrees).
(Also read: Will F-1 OPT holders have to pay $100,000 visa fee? Immigration lawyer answers)
More about the H-1B rule
US President Donald Trump has announced that new H-1B visa applications will attract a one-time $100,000 fee, starting September 21.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) clarified that the USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications will only apply to the new applicants and not to the petitions submitted prior to September 21.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also stated that it is a one-time fee, clarifying the misconception that it is an annual fee. “To be clear: This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition. This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders,” Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.