Repeated layoffs at Amazon, Microsoft and other Big Tech firms are driving visa holders to smaller companies or out of the U.S. entirely, risking a talent drain that could slow product development and raise hiring costs.
When Vinit Juneja started as a software engineer at Amazon last year, he knew he might leave one day for a more attractive role. Then the company cut roughly 30,000 positions across two rounds. Job security became the new priority.
"I realized that no one's safe," Juneja said.
Juneja, who moved to the U.S. from India on an F-1 STEM OPT visa, would have to leave the country if he lost his job and couldn't find a new one in time. Less than a year in, he accepted an offer at Applied Materials, a semiconductor equipment maker. The role matched his career goals. He also believed the company's position in the AI chip supply chain might offer more stability than Big Tech.
Juneja is not alone. Repeated layoffs since 2022 have changed the calculus for many visa holders working at Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Apple. Those five companies alone have announced cuts affecting more than 100,000 workers, according to public filings and company announcements.
Any shift in where visa holders choose to work carries consequences for Big Tech. Federal data show the "Magnificent 7" companies, including Amazon and Microsoft, have had more than 200,000 H-1B visa applications approved since October 2020. Losing that talent pool could slow product development and increase hiring costs.
Ayush Raj Jha, an H-1B visa holder from India, set out to find a more senior software engineering role than his one at Oracle, and ideally one that felt more secure. He said repeated rounds of layoffs at Oracle and other large tech companies have left visa holders worried about their future in the U.S. If laid off, H-1B workers generally have 60 days to find another employer willing to sponsor their visa or leave the country.
"There's constant fear and uncertainty," Jha said.
He found a staff software engineer opening at a privately owned customer service software company. He believed private ownership might make it less vulnerable to short-term shareholder pressure and offer greater job stability. He accepted the offer in July.
Tech companies laid off nearly 150,000 workers between January and July – more than three times as many as any other sector, according to career transition firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Jason Finkelman, an Austin-based business immigration lawyer, said many of his clients are worried about layoffs and the potential impact of AI on their jobs.
"Clients are contacting me before being laid off to help think through the best immigration strategies and contingency plans because of so much economic uncertainty," he said.
Rohit Srinivasa, an immigration attorney in the Los Angeles area who works with startups and medium-sized tech companies, said he has seen some visa holders change employers over job security concerns.
Beyond job-switching, visa holders are starting businesses or even leaving the country. Divij Kishore, an immigration attorney in New York, said some clients have explored visa options that would let them pursue entrepreneurship instead of relying on an employer. Others have decided to relocate to Canada, Australia, Europe and elsewhere.
"They're working with the same organizations in the same field and industry," he said. "It's an effective brain drain."
Despite the risks, many visa holders still see Big Tech as a strong place to build a career. Strong compensation and opportunities for career growth remain powerful draws. The chance to work on large-scale products also matters. Some workers said the alternative – a smaller tech company or startup – could feel even less stable.
Big Tech companies also offer long experience sponsoring foreign workers. Abhinav Bohra, an H-1B holder working as a data scientist at Amazon since 2019, said the company's dedicated immigration team gives him confidence that his visa paperwork will be filed correctly and on time. A smaller employer with less experience could be more prone to mistakes that could jeopardize his ability to remain in the U.S.
"At companies like Amazon, we know that our visas and our documents are handled by experts, so it feels much safer," he said.
The advantages can make the decision to leave especially difficult. David Chong's TN visa was tied to his software engineering job at Microsoft. Leaving would put both his ability to remain in the U.S. and the company's green card process for him at risk. Still, he had grown frustrated by a slow promotion timeline and restructurings that moved him between teams.
Last September, Chong decided to give up his path toward a long-term future in the U.S. He left Microsoft, moved back to Canada, and began building an AI sales agent startup.
"For me, leaving Microsoft to start a business is a decision I don't think my future self will regret, even if I fail," he said.
Microsoft, which has had thousands of H-1B applications approved since 2020, carries an Alpha Score of 71, reflecting moderate sentiment. Its stock traded at $495.40, down 0.30% on the day. The company's reliance on foreign talent means any sustained shift in visa holder preferences could affect its ability to staff key projects.
For now, the visa holders who stay cite the infrastructure and resources Big Tech provides. Those who leave point to the same reason: no one is safe, and a job tied to a visa is a fragile foundation.
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