Latest news with #H1b
NDTV
12-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Reddit Post Warning Indian H-1B Holders Against Buying Homes In US Sparks Debate Online
A Reddit user has sparked a discussion online after warning Indian H-1B visa holders about the risks of owning a house in the US. In the post titled 'Please don't buy a house in this environment', the user who goes by the name 'smokyskyline', highlighted several issues faced by H-1B visa holders, including the financial burden of a mortgage and the unpredictable nature of the US immigration policies. The user also pointed to the instability in the tech sector and "lifestyle inflation" as reasons for concern. "There's a tendency for Indian H1b holders to try to buy a house a few years after they're in the US, in their 30s or so, around the time they're starting a family. There's a strong cultural belief that buying a house is an investment and renting is throwing away money. It's not," the anonymous user wrote. Please don't buy a house in this environment by u/smokyskyline in h1b The Redditor gave three key reasons to support his stance on owning a house while on a temporary work visa. "First, if you run the math on rent vs buy in this environment, rent usually comes on top. Remember, when you are buying, you are also throwing money away- to the bank as mortgage which is primarily interest in the early years. So it's really about the choice of throwing money to the bank vs landlord. Interest rates are high," they wrote. Second, the original poster highlighted lifestyle inflation and its impact on work. "Houses in suburbs typically mean a lot of commute. Less time to work or relax, more time dealing with traffic. And now that you have a house, you'll spend money customising it. You'll look around at your neighbors and start subconsciously start buying more things and more services. And you will resist leaving cities because you don't want to abandon the house you purchased," the user wrote. Lastly, the OP pointed to the instability in the tech sector and the unpredictable nature of US immigration policies as reasons for concern. "The tech environment is way too unstable. Politics follows the same environment. Before you know it, you may lose your job, or the country could be become unfriendlier to H1bs. The stress from a mortgage will be intense. Your company could change its tune any day and you are just a resource," they said. "It feels wrong to not "own", but if you reframe it as paying for the privilege of flexibility and time, it seems a lot better to rent than own. And that is assuming that it's actually more expensive to rent, which it's usually not. Your kids will not care about the difference. And you will be happier," the Redditor concluded. The post has caught the internet's attention, with many users agreeing with the OP. "Even though few may have lucked out, still one of the dumbest move is to buy a house when in H1b and still have a chance to be moved or lose a job," wrote one user. "Listen to this guy! I am the exact guy he described in the post and regret my decision everyday," commented another. "Finally someone said it right. Not worth it at least in the current administration," said a third user. However, some Redditors disagreed, saying that the decision was dependent on the area where one lived or decided to rent vs buy, plus their financial condition, and the housing market. "Owning a house is a necessity. Renting changing houses after every 2-3 years is a lot of work and trouble. Again rent keeps on increasing as per the state of the market. But if you buy a housing loan on a fixed structure with increasing salaries it becomes easier with time. After a certain point you want to settle live in a community," one user wrote.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'Why am I staying here?': Chinese H-1B redditor reveals boredom of life in US suburb, asks if he should go back
Chinese Redditor says waiting for green card feels like an endless process. A Redditor who later revealed his identity as a Chinese working in the US on an H-1B visa shared the monotony of working life in the US and asked for suggestions whether he should look for some jobs in China. The person said staying in the US without friends and relatives, waiting for green card for which the wait is only getting longer, feels like a waste of prime. "This is the second year of my H1b and I'm already 29. I have few friends and no relatives in US. I feel everyday my life is work, go back home and then exercise, that's it. Maybe several travels in a year, but most of the time solo trip. It's boring and endless to lock myself in a small firm in suburb, only because they sponsor my visa and GC (perm started early this year). I checked the timeline of perm processing, and it's almost 2-3 years. I just can't see my future - and am very confusing now. Why am I staying here during the best time of my life?" the person wrote, adding that looking for an alternative job in a big city is also not a viable option as recruiters are not interested to hire someone without a green card. Redditor reveals boredom of living in US suburb, working at a small firm. The post reveals the struggles the H-1B visa holders go through in teh US while they are blamed for stealing US tech jobs. The comment section was a mixed bag of opinions but many told the Redditor to choose happiness over a green card. "Do what will make you happy. Do you want to stay in America forever, or are there other countries that you could move to? I've been here for 3 years. Have H1B and very supportive employer (and an approved labour market test). We have decided that USA isn't for us long term. its fine right now, but doesn't fit into our life long goals, but 5 more years of H1B is fine. its ok to not want to want what others want..." one wrote. "im also from china and stuck with my current employer. it's hard to make friends here when everyone's friendship was already established in school. holidays suck cuz I don't have family here to spend with. I hate it when people ask me if i have any plans for any holidays. on top of that i havent even started green card process lol," another wrote.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'From $100k to 10LPA salary': Redditor asks for suggestion on return to India upon H1-B expiry
H-1B visa expires after six years and has to be renewed after that. A Reddit user asked for tips on how to mentally prepare for a huge salary cut while coming back to India from US for any personal reason or the expiry of the H-1B visa. "Those who plan to return to India from the US either due to expiring H1B or personal reasons, how are you mentally preparing for this reality check? These kinds of salaries are normal in entry- mid level tech roles in US but this is equivalent to what a CEO or director earns in India. ..." the post read. The crackdown on foreign nationals by the Donald Trump administration has proved to be a challenge for Indians as well who are accused of taking up American jobs at a cheaper rate. Other Redditors opined that both $100K in the US and Rs 10LPA in India are equally depressing. "A salary of 10 LPA is quite low. I used to earn more than that 10 years ago. In today's world, you need a salary of 40-50 LPA to live a decent life in Indian metro cities," one wrote. Redditor asks how to prepare for a low salary if one relocates to India from US. One pointed out that there are some perks in coming back to the home country minus the stress of getting sacked anytime in the US because of the geopolitics that impact H-1B and F-1B visas. "I'm at 500k in the US on H1b. It is going to be a big adjustment in India if H1b goes away," one wrote. "You're seem to be naive. You can't make apples to apples comparison. Also, once you graduate with a Master degree you make more than 10LPA in India. That's like less than a fresher's salary," one wrote. "You can assume that an annual $100k lifestyle in New York is equivalent to around an annual $40K lifestyle in. Delhi or in another way. And this is a very conservative estimation," one gave a breakdown of the cost in both countries though it would vary a lot from city to city.
