Sindhu Mahadevan

US dropout. Author of This Immigrant Life on Substack

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@_AprilShowers_ @emilykmay My deepest empathy to you. I know exactly what you’re talking about! You’re not alone. That’s why being an adult is just so much better sometimes

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

If you’re a young immigrant in the #US, you should know that #immigration is changing.

For years the F1-H1B-GreenCard pathway has worked.

What about now?

https://t.co/atWC3dbMDy

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@David_J_Bier Wonderful job David. The way this agency manages to evade any semblance of accountability would be impressive if it weren’t so totally disheartening.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@JTLonsdale @JeremyLNeufeld @Noahpinion Salary is a terrible criteria to have for H1B. Tech already has a tight grip over the program. Introducing salary criteria undervalues other professions- scientists, medical residents, lecturers, health and allied workers who do not get paid the sky high salaries of tech.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@cgaunerd @AlecStapp So tech has more impact than research in biology? Or jobs in medical devices and pharmaceuticals? The salary approach simply does not make sense. Salary != impact. Haven’t we learned this from the pandemic?!?!

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@emre_mayo @AlecStapp Post doctoral fellows even in prestigious institutions barely earn 100k. Tying H1Bs to salary is the sort of narrow tech-focused thinking that we need less of in immigration.

H1B is not a tech visa. It is a work visa. Other fields don’t pay like tech.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

Increasing the #h1b numbers without significant reconsideration of #countrycaps would make #GCbacklog worse. It’s clear all the US wants are workers, not people.

[Shri Thanedar @ShriThanedar]

I asked US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to expand the legal pathways for immigration, including by raising the cap for H-1B visas - to help grow US economy.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@gsiskind @AttyStevenBrown @ShriThanedar You’re 100% correct. There’s several policy levers that could be pulled here.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@rajvishah30 I’ve been on teams where male colleagues knew exactly how to be, you know…normal. They were professional, but not distant. They were funny and playful but always respectful. It’s not that hard. Women have been doing it all along. And when you do get that, it’s just beautiful.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@frontline_in @raj_karnatak @Praveen_reddy @USCIS This is 100% true, too many people postpone moving only to realize they’re too old for countries that do merit based immigration like Canada or because of kids and career reasons.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

Ah!! Forgot all about twitter’s substack ban. No wonder tweets have been going nowhere.

Oh well. Just go to sindhum.substackDOTCOM for the latest issue of This Immigrant Life

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

#Canada has a lot to learn from the US as it navigates post-COVID backlogs of its own. Immigrants to canada from the #US have seen the #backlog movie. It ain’t good.

https://t.co/6EVjYRz9x1

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@AttyStevenBrown @legalHSKpanda @USCIS I have almost grudging admiration for their ability to monetize their inefficiency. It’s really something!

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@David_J_Bier @NicoletteGlazer @USCIS Wow. This is insane.

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

If you are in the #US on a work visa and don’t have a Plan B, you’re basing your financial stability, peace of mind and career on luck.

Build optionality. Create an immigration plan B.

https://t.co/2IAafev57M

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@lazycoffeegirl @karthikanant I don’t judge people who choose to stay, but I definitely would want to learn more about their reasons. What would move the needle for them. It would be interesting.

[Dr.Aditi Paul 🟢 Researcher | Professor | Author @draditipaul]

Biggest hack to ACE your US immigration journey?
Learn to stand up for yourself

Again. And again. And again.

In this 1.5 min video, I share how I advocated my need to:
✅ Get my H1B on time
✅ Apply for green card through EB2 + EB1
✅ Request processing of Adjustment of Status

[Sindhu Mahadevan @theusdropout]

@lazycoffeegirl @karthikanant As someone who did make the choice to say “enough is enough” and leave, I still do not agree that it’s ok for governments to take advantage of people’s desperation. That’s quite literally the definition of exploitation. But yes, more backlogged folk shld leave. It’s not worth it