This is not a personal finance blog. The author occasionally writes about topics that are not related to personal finance.
Recently, there has been an increase in inquiries for financial advisory services from US-based NRI clients planning a move back to India. While earlier inquiries were limited and largely related to well-planned relocations, some of the recent ones are due to forced returns caused by job losses linked to H-1B visa issues, which is a cause for concern.
These NRIs moved to the US in pursuit of a better life in one of the world’s most developed countries. For decades, the US was seen as a dream destination for immigrants, offering opportunities to grow and prosper without undue constraints. For those who were hardworking and law-abiding, the country welcomed them, making them feel included and valued. It provided an exceptional platform for some of the world’s brightest minds to perform at their best and contribute meaningfully to society. By embracing immigrants, America prospered.
However, recent developments around the tightening of immigration policies are concerning. While it is understandable that authorities aim to identify and remove illegal immigrants in the interest of public safety and security, the approach and effort is having unintended consequences.
Indian NRIs in the US are typically law-abiding residents and rarely encounter legal issues. Yet, in recent times, many feel compelled to carry their passports and immigration documents at all times to produce them at short notice. Working on an H-1B visa has become increasingly difficult, as filing new petitions is now prohibitively expensive. For H-1B holders, job loss often means an inevitable exit from the country.
Additionally, students who moved to the US for higher education are struggling to secure employment. Job opportunities for inexperienced candidates have declined sharply in an AI-driven market, and finding employers willing to sponsor visas has become even more challenging. What was once a dream is slowly turning into disillusionment, and hope is beginning to fade.
What is ironic is the conversation on social media, where many NRIs, even while facing difficult circumstances, express anxiety about returning back to India. Although a sudden move may make it hard to find an equivalent job opportunities, professional networks can be leveraged to identify suitable opportunities. Support from friends and family back in India will help smooth the transition.
For individuals who are talented, capable, and aspire to become entrepreneurs, India’s start-up ecosystem has grown significantly. For bright minds with compelling ideas, access to capital is no longer a major constraint. With one of the world’s largest populations, it offers unparalleled access to consumers for almost any viable business idea.
Concerns about living standards, infrastructure, and service quality in India are often overstated. For someone born and raised in India, there is little reason to believe that they or their family would struggle to adapt. Moreover, affordable domestic help and the opportunity to reconnect with culture, food, festivals, family, and friends provide many compelling reasons to return.
NRIs across the globe can draw comfort from the fact that, in moments of difficulty anywhere in the world, there is always an option for them to return back to motherland. I am reminded of the following lines of a famous song from the movie Naam.
देश पराया छोड़ के आजा (Leave the foreign land and come back)
पंछी पिंजरा तोड़ के आजा (Break the cage and return home)
आजा, उम्र बहुत है छोटी (Life is very short)
अपने घर में भी है रोटी (There is enough to eat in our own home too)
Disclaimer
The writer is a SEBI Registered Adviser and Founder of FinMyn (https://finmyn.com). He provides Fee-Only Financial Planning and Investment Advisory services.
He has advised many clients in India, the US, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe and Australia.
To know more about him, click on https://finmyn.com/about/.