U.S. faces tech talent crisis, seeks foreign talent

The United States (US) is grappling with a severe shortage of skilled professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, urgently seeking foreign talent to sustain its tech-driven economy.

According to projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. will need approximately 1 million additional STEM workers between 2023 and 2033, as job growth in the tech sector continues to outpace the overall labor market.

To address this workforce gap, the H-1B visa program, established in 1990, enables U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign professionals in specialized fields.

Businesses and immigration attorneys file petitions on behalf of foreign workers seeking employment opportunities in the country.

Despite its significance, the program faces limitations, with Congress capping H-1B visas at 65,000 annually, plus an additional 20,000 slots for foreign nationals holding advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.

However, demand remains overwhelming, as evidenced by 470,000 H-1B applications submitted for fiscal year 2025, underscoring the persistent shortage of local talent.

“I’m not sure if people in the U.S. truly understand the level of headache that people who are on H-1 have to go through, which nobody else has. For example, every three years we need to get our H-1 renewal. For that renewal, you have to pay renewal fees. You’ve got to hire a lawyer,” said Gaurav Saxena, an H-1B visa holder residing in Reston, Virginia, as quoted by CNBC News.

Leading U.S. technology firms, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, are among the top employers relying on the H-1B visa program to attract and retain global talent.