Layoff during F1 OPT compels Indian techie to leave US urges to look beyond US

The entire journey from biotech graduate to uncertain visa status

Ananya Joshi graduated with a master’s in biotechnology in 2024 and got a job at a US-based biotech startup under the F-1 OPT program, allowing her to work for 12 months in her field. She wanted to extend the STEM OPT to get two years of additional work authorization. The employer had assured that they are E-verified (a requirement for extension), but they are not. And this cost Ananya her future. She said that she was applying for jobs but faced rejections due to her visa status. She says,

“I had 20 to 30 interviews in just two months, but none of them were willing to hire someone on F-1 OPT,” she said. “They all required citizenship or a green card.”

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“America, I Love You” – A Viral Goodbye

In the viral video, Joshi called leaving the US “by far the hardest step in this journey”. The emotional video quickly gained a lot of traction. In the video, she says,

“America was my first home as a financially independent adult, and that will always be a special thing to me. Though short-lived, I really appreciate the life you gave me. AMERICA, I LOVE YOU,” she wrote in the caption.

She has since relocated to Dubai, where she plans to restart her career in biotechnology.

What does this mean for Indian students?

After this happened with Ananya Joshi, she talked to NDTV and encouraged fellow Indian students and professionals to think beyond the US. She also highlighted how other study abroad destinations like Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Singapore are growing and offer amazing job opportunities for skilled professionals in biotech and related fields.

She also highlighted broader policy uncertainty in the US, talking more about how difficult it is to secure sponsorship in the US these days, even for contract roles. She says,

“Even during the Trump administration, people were at least finding some jobs. Now, many can't even get interviews if they don’t already have a green card or citizenship.”

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How did social media react?

A majority of the social media users showed support for Joshi; a few of them even criticised her, calling her struggle a 'privileged portrayal of struggle' since the video she posted was made in a business class cabin.

• One user wrote, “Oh to cry in Emirates business class while moving to Dubai. Living the dream, I see.”

• Another added, “It’s a tough goodbye, no doubt. But not everyone gets to do it in first class.”

However, people supported her, saying that her emotional journey and systemic visa challenges are valid, regardless of personal resources.

The Visa Landscape Today in the US

Joshi’s story also comes amid broader visa changes in the U.S. Last month, there was a fee raise for H-1B visas to $100,000, up from $2,000–$5,000, making it even more challenging for companies to sponsor and hire international employees. It has made it more confusing for international graduates to convert F1 to H-1B visas.

Conclusion

Ananya Joshi’s story is just one of thousands, but its viral nature underscores a growing disillusionment among international students. It serves as both a reality check and a call to action—to think of the US-centric assumptions and explore other career paths for a stable future.