H-1B burnout drives Indian professional to plan return home after 11 years in US, sparks online debate

A Reddit post by an Indian professional in the United States has struck a chord online after the user opened up about the emotional and financial strain of living on an H-1B visa, announcing plans to return to India next year after 11 years in the US.

In the post, the individual said he had reached a breaking point with the uncertainty surrounding the H-1B system after spending five years on the work visa and three years on OPT. 

“I’ve reached a point where I just can’t handle the H-1B visa stress anymore. I’ve been on H-1B for 5 years, plus 3 years on OPT before that, so after 8+ working years total in the US, I’m still in a tough spot financially,” said the user ‘Direct_Ad_8268’.

Despite working in the US for over eight years, the person said they remain financially insecure and have been unable to build substantial savings.

The user revealed that he plans to return to India next April, describing the decision as both necessary and uncertain. While he said he is free from debt and family responsibilities, he admitted feeling anxious about what lies ahead, especially because he does not want to return to a conventional 9-to-5 job in India.

Seeking guidance from others who have made similar transitions, the post asks how former US residents adjusted after relocating to India and rebuilt their lives outside the framework of traditional employment.

Many questioned the user on having no savings, asking, “Why no savings? You are single with 8 yrs of US experience and nothing to show for it?”

To which, he replied that during the initial years he worked on a lower salary only making 5000$ net a month, and had cleared student loan and some family debt.

One user commented, “Don’t come to India unless you have at least a liquid net worth of 4-5 crores.. I would think as a single person it’s very doable, even if you haven’t just started saving today! Don’t go to India as long as you can live in the US legally and work. India without money is extremely tough!”

Another said, “I know 1000s of people who are planning to go back “next” year since 2005. USA is a big trap but wish you good luck!”