It was nighttime in Singapore when the ruling was announced. My husband and I scrambled to find a flight back. The best we could find, at any price, lands 25mins after the deadline. We are on our way there.
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Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
511–520 of 679 posts
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#512I can just feel for someone who travelled back home for a family emergency and hope they have the means and courage to leave the family and come back.
I hope they have the courage to stay with their family, and the means to make it in their home country where I’d hope they’re not actively hated on.
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#513Earlier quoted context omitted.
In almost every single jurisdiction? That would be an impressive fraud to pull off. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/06/us/politics/p... >More than 89 percent of counties in the United States shifted in favor of former President Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential election, according to a New York Times analysis of election results.
>89 percent of counties Land doesn't vote. People vote. What percentage of the population live in those 89% of counties?
If you scroll down, the article has a breakdown of all the various populations that voted more Republican. Here is another reputable publication:
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/06/26/voter-turnou...
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#514I am so glad I left the States. It is horrible to live in a country where on a whim of a deranged leader your whole life can be upended. No country is perfect, but the way US now behaves towards people on visas is not tolerable. (And it was similar situation during COVID)
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We've banned this account for repeatedly breaking the site guidelines, using HN primarily for political/ideological battle, and ignoring our request to stop. Not cool.
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#515In the french news ( https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/les-frais-du-visa-a-10... ) it seems the white house clarified it is only for new visa and one time only. [edit] also: https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/international/2025/09/21...
That's not how laws and executive orders work? The text of the order matters, not some opinion of some admin official That's why, typically, this would have been reviewed and planned.
I am not trying to defend it, but I understand the issue was that the order was unclear.
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#516Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would love to know why you feel more aligned with Republicans as an immigrant?
Came here legally, speak English, embrace American culture, appreciate the police keeping my neighborhood safe, support faith, etc. There's nearly hundred percent alignment with my values. Surprised this is so surprising. Like I said there's millions of people like me.
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Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#517UK around Brexit time thought kind of similar: let's keep the "riffraff" immigrants out by applying higher criteria. The narrative also changed this way: we don't want immigrants in general, but you , with your highly paid PhD-requiring job, you can go in, on a 2 year rolling basis. Then everyone's a winner, except for unwanted, unskilled labour. But a lot of skilled labour left anyway. Partly because the general atm…
Yep, skilled people have options. When you are treating them as circus animals that constantly need to prove that they are worth the cage they will be put in and the food they will be fed, they just leave the circus.
Smart professional people desire non-hostile space where they can build a life. When a Russian scientist or Iranian doctor left their countries for London or Paris, they were't calculating for a net income increase, they were running away from an environment that didn't show a promise to allow them realize themselves. Lot's of white collar people are paid well below what they will make if they learn a JS library or do construction work because of their desire to fulfill themselves in a peaceful life and be respected. It is kind of similar to game devs being paid very little in respect to the complexity of the programming they do. If you break that magic, they aren't going to stay.
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#518Update from USCIS: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/memos/H1B...
"Clarification" from Press Secretary: https://x.com/PressSec/status/1969495900478488745
1.) This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition.
2.) Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter.
H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would; whatever ability they have to do that is not impacted by yesterday’s proclamation.
3.) This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders.
It will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle.
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#519Earlier quoted context omitted.
Initially? People looking for gold, silver, fur. Missionaries spreading the word of god, people escaping persecution of various sorts. Are those the people Europe and the US are look to immigrate?
Did they bring their parents with them?
Can't pick and choose. Would you be ok with people escaping persecution or spreading their religion coming in the country if they don't bring their parents?
Re: Microsoft has urged its employees on H-1B and H-4 visas to return immediately
#520Earlier quoted context omitted.
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the whole US visa morass is complicated and volatile enough that a lot of large companies have dedicated teams who help advise their employees on visa issues and how to best navigate them. this "guidance" is basically saying "this is our lawyers' best guess as to how to stay safe over the next few weeks"
I was confused, because it does not apply to current Visa holders: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45316226
I thought maybe the company was doing something shady, for it to apply to them.