Jaishankar: Nations blocking talent flow risk becoming 'net losers' amid H-1B crackdown
Jaishankar: Nations blocking talent flow risk becoming 'net losers' amid H-1B crackdown
India’s Jaishankar warns that hardening immigration rules could make countries net losers, urging mutual benefits from cross-border talent even as H-1B fees rise.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar warned that countries erecting roadblocks to the flow of talent will be “net losers” in a global economy driven by skilled professionals. Speaking at a mobility conclave, he urged nations to frame immigration as a mutual benefit that accelerates innovation and entrepreneurship, rather than a unilateral concession. He did not single out any country, but his message emphasized the economic upside of welcoming talent across borders.
His remarks come amid a hardening of immigration policy in the United States, including a plan under the Trump-era framework that imposes a $100,000 fee for a new H-1B visa. Jaishankar noted that such shifts in policy can disrupt talent pipelines that finance startups and advanced industries, underscoring that Indian professionals have long helped connect markets, research hubs, and corporate ecosystems.
Jaishankar also linked resistance to mobility with broader questions about where jobs are located. He suggested that when there is pressure on jobs in developed economies, part of the response has been to push manufacturing elsewhere, which in turn affects the incentives to attract international talent. If travel becomes harder, the work itself won’t stop, but the pathways for skilled workers may become frayed.
The minister stressed that rather than erecting barriers, countries should articulate how mobility supports growth for all parties—entrepreneurs, workers, and the economy at large. The message aligns with India’s ongoing efforts to support Indians living abroad and to encourage supply-chain adjustments that benefit multiple stakeholders, rather than isolating talent behind borders.
Cover image source: ‘They would be net losers’: Jaishankar warns against excessive immigration roadblocks in US, Europe 🔗
