A new talent(less) USA

In the last decade I’ve watched my Vietnamese students climb from coding bootcamps and dorm-room projects all the way to jobs at Amazon and Meta. The same goes for my “finance kids” — the ones who started out in high school business competitions now work at Deloitte or PwC.

Tech and finance are most affected by the new U.S. visa ‘policy’, with computer-related fields alone making up around 65% of the H-1B program. That’s why a proposal to slap a $100,000 fee on skilled worker visas isn’t just a “policy shift”; it’s a threat on the entire pipeline. Students don’t come to the U.S. for a degree alone, they come for the chance to gain necessary work experience, and in exchange contribute in the very industries that have come to rely on foreign skilled workers. Ten years ago, in the early days of the study abroad industry in Vietnam, the degree from an institution abroad meant increased opportunity upon return, and a significantly different starting salary. Now, the degree alone does not come with as much influence; it is the work experience after that matters most (OPT and H1B, both). Without that opportunity, the [usually expensive] degree itself loses value, and students (and their families) will reroute to Canada, Australia, or Europe instead. This is already happening in the face of political and social instability, but will happen on a much larger scale in response to this door, closing.

When the U.S. looks less welcoming, students pivot quickly. I’ve seen it in real time; families who once thought of America as the gold standard of education and opportunity now seriously consider Canada, Australia, and Europe. I spend a lot of time talking about backup plans. These destinations are are open, stable, and accessible. This upcoming U.S. policy isn’t just altering the labor market; it’s reshaping where global talent decides to build careers.

If U.S. leadership want to talk about protecting wages, they should also talk about protecting competitiveness. Because here’s the irony: the very companies driving the American economy (we’re looking at you Amazon, Meta, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase) are the ones who will feel this pinch first, but they will not suffer alone. Maybe it’s time for Bezos and Zuckerberg to put those new Trump friendships to work. 🙃