Indian-origin techie drops Microsoft developer function in US to return to India: ‘Did not go away to retire. Left to stay’ – The Occasions of India – Worldwide Dispatch

Ujjwal Chadha, an Indian-origin AI Engineering Lead, has left his job as a Developer at Microsoft in the US and returned to India for a distant function. He shared on X that the transfer has modified his life.Chadha talked about the “PPP” benefit, saying that $250,000 is snug in Seattle, however it goes a great distance in Delhi. His hire dropped by 80 per cent, and his financial savings charge rose to 90 per cent.He additionally identified the “Time Dividend,” saying he now not offers with lengthy commutes, frozen dinners, or lonely winters. “Now, I’ve chai with my dad and mom each night. I’ve a cook dinner. I’ve a driver. I’ve time,” he mentioned.About his profession, Chadha mentioned he didn’t step down however “stepped up.” He added that distant work removes “visa anxiousness” and lets him concentrate on constructing merchandise and his personal concepts.His transfer is a part of an even bigger pattern: Indian tech professionals are the biggest group on US H‑1B visas, which let expert staff be part of tech, IT, and engineering jobs. Between October 2022 and September 2023, Indians acquired about 72.3 per cent of all H‑1B visas, enabling many to work for US tech firms and contribute to software program innovation.Chadha mentioned, “I did not go away the US to retire. I left to truly stay.”

Since President Donald Trump returned to workplace a second time, many facets of US visa processing have grown more difficult for international staff and immigrants. US has paused immigrant visa issuance for candidates from an extended checklist of nations, affecting these looking for everlasting residency. The general backlog of US visa and immigration instances has reached report highs, with thousands and thousands of functions pending amid slower processing and enhanced fraud checks. Adjustments to H‑1B visas embody a brand new excessive price for brand new functions, and stricter social media vetting has led to appointment cancellations and delays for H‑1B holders overseas. These shifts have elevated wait instances and pushed them to 2027.