Business
As a young engineer in the early days of Silicon Valley’s technological boom, I had the privilege of being part of a team at Verbatim Corporation that developed and demonstrated the world’s first erasable optical disk. This innovation, later commercialized as the CD-ROM burner, revolutionized data storage. Looking back, it’s clear that the success of this project – and countless others in tech – would not have been possible without the contributions of professionals who came to the U.S. under the H1-B visa program.
In the early 1980s, Verbatim’s engineering team showcased global collaboration. Our vice president of engineering, director of research and development and directors of drive and media development all came to the U.S. on H1-B visas. Two young engineers on the team were also H1-B visa holders. These individuals, all with at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering, played critical roles in overcoming technical challenges. Under the leadership of my manager, Dr. Ingolf Sander, we tackled some of the most complex problems in data storage. Our wages were among the highest in Silicon Valley, and none of these H1-B holders displaced American workers. Instead, they filled a skills gap essential for our success.
H1-B visa holders often go on to create jobs and drive economic growth. Consider these examples of technology leaders who began their journeys in the U.S. on H1-B visas:
-
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, transitioned from a student visa to an H1-B, driving innovations in AI and cloud computing.
-
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, started his career on an H1-B, overseeing transformative products like Google Chrome and Android.
-
Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, whose GPUs revolutionized gaming, AI and high-performance computing.
These individuals’ contributions have generated millions of jobs and positioned the U.S. as a global tech leader.
Critics argue the H1-B program suppresses wages or displaces American workers, but my experience tells a different story. In the 1980s, demand for skilled engineers outpaced supply. Companies like ours competed globally for talent, offering competitive salaries to attract the best minds. The H1-B program was a lifeline that enabled innovation and growth.
Today, industries like software development and biotechnology still face shortages of qualified candidates. Restricting H1-B visas risks stifling innovation and losing competitive advantage to other countries. H1-B visa holders are not just employees; many become entrepreneurs. A 2016 study found that immigrant-founded firms account for 25% of all venture-backed startups in the U.S., disproportionately driving job creation and economic dynamism.