They planned their futures around America. Now they're putting down roots elsewhere.
Source: Business Insider ·
Former H-1B hopefuls and international graduates are building new lives abroad, as a stable future in the US increasingly becomes a pipe dream.
From the source
Ananya Joshi loved her life in Chicago. After moving from India for a master's degree in biotechnology at Northwestern University, she landed a $75,000-a-year job as a scientist at a lab-grown meat startup in 2024. She was doing research, living in an affordable apartment in a suburb, and road-tripping with friends on weekends. But her life in the US had an expiration date. Joshi's company said it couldn't sponsor her for an H-1B visa. Her Optional Practical Training, or OPT — a work authorization for foreign students — was set to expire in July 2025. She had two choices: She could take a job in Germany and leave behind her partner and life in the US, or race to find a new sponsor. She took the offer and moved in January. "Having gone through so much turbulence, I really needed the stability to calm down," Joshi, 26, told Business Insider. Ananya Joshi, a scientist, moved from the US to Germany after her H-1B plans fell through. Natalia Kepesz for BI Her decision reflects a broader…