Many Indian professionals who lost jobs in the United States are returning home and finding work in India, but often for much lower pay. The shift comes as layoffs continue across major American companies and uncertainty grows around H-1B visas, hiring costs and corporate restructuring. A new survey by professional networking platform Blind found that more than half of respondents had seen workers move back to India. At the same time, many professionals said job opportunities have not improved despite the rapid expansion of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) set up by global companies across India.US layoffs send H-1B workers home; former Microsoft employee highlights pay gap (Credit: Unsplash)Survey finds more H-1B workers returning to India amid US layoffsThe findings come from a survey conducted by Blind among 1,276 verified professionals. According to the report, 53% of respondents said they had witnessed professionals returning to India from the United States. However, only 26% said job openings had increased over the past year, while 51% reported that hiring opportunities had declined.The discussion gained attention after an anonymous H-1B worker posted on Blind about growing concerns among foreign professionals in the United States. The post said that visa-related uncertainty and reports of higher costs linked to H-1B hiring had left many workers questioning their future in the country.The survey also found that 36% of respondents knew colleagues or candidates who had already returned to India, while another 17% knew people planning a move. Reports of reverse migration were especially common among employees at Amazon, Walmart and Uber, companies that are also expanding their GCC operations in India.Blind said the trend suggests that many US-based technology companies are increasingly moving jobs to India while continuing to hire experienced talent.Also Read: Trump administration to launch probe into Cognizant over H1B visa ‘fraud’Former Microsoft employee on India’s pay challengeOne professional who experienced the shift firsthand is Swapnil Sagar, a former Microsoft employee who spent around a decade working in the United States. After being affected by Microsoft’s 2025 layoffs, he later secured a role with a technology company in Bengaluru.Speaking to The American Bazaar, Sagar said, “The job market in India is better than in the U.S., but the challenge is getting a good paying job.”The Blind report suggests salary differences remain one of the biggest concerns for returning professionals. A Google employee quoted anonymously on the platform said, “Average pay has gone down in the last 6 months. So, you might be looking at a 1/5th pay [of the US].”Sagar said lower salaries in India compared with the United States were understandable because living costs are lower.Also Read: Trump’s new immigration plan to tighten H-1B rules and shrink student work options? ExplainedThe report also suggests that many GCC positions are being filled by experienced professionals returning from the United States. While companies benefit by retaining skilled workers at lower costs, some respondents believe the growing number of qualified candidates is making India’s job market more competitive.For professionals exploring opportunities in India, Sagar advised looking beyond large technology firms. “In Bangalore, which can be called the SFO of India, job seekers especially in tech should look at start-ups and smaller companies as they might pay you better than big tech giants,” he said.