No Green Card, no job? Indian students face tough US job market, entrepreneur suggests alternate paths

The US job market is getting tougher for international students, and parents investing in their children’s American education might need a new game plan. Vijay Thirumalai, an entrepreneur, took to social media to highlight the growing difficulties students face in securing internships and jobs due to AI-driven visa screening.

Thirumalai responded to a post by an editor Smita Prakash, who had warned, “International students are finding it extremely hard to get even an internship in the US this year. Getting rejected at the first screening – q asked – Do you have permission to work in the US indefinitely? Those who answer No get rejected right away.”

Backing this claim, Thirumalai pointed out that most companies are filtering out candidates who may need a work visa in the future, even those currently on OPT. He advised parents to rethink spending $300,000 or more on an undergraduate degree in the US when their children may struggle to secure employment after graduation.

The EB-5 alternative: Investing for a Green Card

Instead of sending students to the US without a clear path to residency, Thirumalai suggested two alternative options. “A far better ROI for your $300K is [to choose a] different country other than the US, where there is a path to residency,” he stated, citing top-tier schools in Canada (Waterloo, University of Toronto) and Germany as viable options.

For those determined to send their children to the US, he proposed an EB-5 visa investment as a way to bypass the H-1B mess entirely. “Invest another $400K where you could process EB-5 for your kids in parallel,” he explained. Since NRIs can avail of $400K credit under FEMA regulations, the total capital required is reduced to $400K instead of the usual $800K.

Why EB-5? The advantage of a Green Card

With an EB-5 investment, Thirumalai pointed out that students could secure an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) within the first two years of their undergraduate degree and receive a Green Card by age 24 or 25. He argued this would eliminate work visa restrictions, allowing them to secure top jobs, internships, or even start their own businesses.

“This exponentially increases their chances of internships, they can start their own business + work with whichever employer they want, UNSHACKLED from the H1B mess forever,” he emphasized.

According to Thirumalai, factoring in rupee depreciation, the actual cost of an EB-5 visa falls below $250K, making it a viable investment compared to spending $300K on a degree with no job security. He added that families with multiple children can structure the EB-5 application to minimize taxation concerns, ensuring a smoother immigration path.