The H-1B visa program was designed to help U.S. companies access global talent. However, a subset of consulting firms including some Indian-origin consultancies operating in the U.S. have exploited gaps in the system. Common patterns include:

1. Misrepresentation of job roles and client engagements
2. Underpayment or wage manipulation despite high client billing rates
3. Failure to meet legal obligations, including employer-paid immigration costs
4. Lack of transparency around employment terms, contracts, and immigration filings

As a result, many professionals unknowingly enter unstable and opaque work arrangements.

 

What This Looks Like in Reality
Because many workers cannot safely speak publicly, these examples are anonymized—but they reflect recurring experiences:

In one case, a worker was billed to a client at nearly $180,000 annually, while earning less than half that amount with no visibility into the contract or margin.

In another, an employee was asked to cover immigration-related costs indirectly, despite regulations requiring the employer to bear them. They later discovered they were never given access to their own I-140 petition, even though they had effectively paid for it.

Several individuals have described being placed on unpaid “bench” periods, uncertain when or if their next project would begin, while still being tied to their employer for legal status.

Many report that they do not know who actually owns or runs the company, with leadership structures intentionally opaque and inaccessible.
 

 

A System Sustained by Fear
According to findings from the U.S. Department of Labor, labor violations within the H-1B ecosystem are not uncommon. Yet enforcement remains limited.

The core issue is not just misconduct, it is silence.

Because visa status is tied to employment:

• Workers fear retaliation
• Reporting violations can feel risky or unsafe
• Many choose to endure unfair conditions rather than jeopardize their future

This creates a system where unethical practices can continue with little resistance.

 

Why This Continues
These practices persist because they are low-risk and highly profitable:

• Large gaps between client billing and employee wages
• Immigration costs shifted onto workers
• Limited oversight and infrequent audits
   

Even when action is taken against one firm, similar models continue to operate elsewhere.

 

What Needs to Change

We urge the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Department of Labor, and policymakers to take meaningful action:

Mandatory transparency

Require clear disclosure of job role, salary, and client engagement details before H-1B approval
Stronger enforcement and audits

Conduct regular and randomized audits of consulting firms sponsoring H-1B workers
Protected reporting mechanisms

Establish secure, anonymous channels for workers to report violations without risking their visa status

Guaranteed access to immigration documents - Ensure workers can access petitions filed on their behalf, including I-140

Accountability for violations - Enforce meaningful penalties for firms that engage in fraud or labor exploitation
 
The H-1B program was built to create opportunity—not dependency.

 

No skilled professional should have to choose between protecting their rights and protecting their future.

It is time to restore fairness, transparency, and dignity to this system.

 

 

Sign this petition to demand accountability and protect the rights of H-1B workers.