Tech

Indians Explore Alternative Visa Options Amid Rising H-1B Uncertainty

Published

1 week ago

June 7, 2025

As uncertainty grows around the H-1B visa program in the United States, a growing number of Indian tech professionals are exploring alternative immigration pathways to work and live abroad.

This shift comes in the wake of increased rejections, prolonged processing delays, and rising layoffs in the tech sector, prompting skilled workers to diversify their global career strategies.

⚠️ Why the H-1B Route is Becoming Riskier

Recent trends show:

Higher scrutiny of H-1B renewals and initial applications
Backlogs in green card processing due to per-country quotas
Increased job volatility in major tech firms post-2023 layoffs
Changing U.S. political climate ahead of the 2026 election cycle

🌎 Top Alternative Visa Routes Gaining Traction

Here are the most popular alternatives Indians are now considering:

1. Canada’s Express Entry (PR)

Points-based system favoring skilled tech professionals
Quicker path to permanent residency
Open work permits for spouses

2. Germany’s EU Blue Card

Easy pathway for high-earning tech workers
Permanent residency possible in as little as 21 months
English-speaking jobs increasingly common in Berlin, Munich, etc.

3. UK Skilled Worker Visa

Demand in IT, healthcare, and finance
Fast-track options and long-term settlement benefits

4. Australia’s Subclass 189 & 190 Visas

Popular among Indians due to lifestyle, pay, and work rights
Favorable immigration policy for tech and engineering roles

5. Portugal’s Tech Visa & Digital Nomad Visa

Attractive for remote workers and startup founders
Easy residency for self-employed tech professionals

🧠 What Indian Professionals Are Saying

“After waiting 8 years on an H-1B, I finally applied for Canadian PR. It felt like freedom,” says Ankur S., a software engineer from Bengaluru now in Toronto.

Online communities and consultants have seen a surge in inquiries from US-based Indians looking to exit the H-1B queue in favor of more stable and flexible destinations.

🗺 Expert Advice

If you’re currently in the US or planning a move:

Consult a licensed immigration attorney
Review eligibility criteria for multiple countries
Consider long-term goals (permanent residency, family inclusion, etc.)

Tech

Top 5 Electric Scooters in India for 2025 – Performance Meets Innovation

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2025

Arya Mehta

Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 (2025 Model)

Top Speed: 120 km/h
Range: 195 km (IDC)
Charging Time: 6.5 hours (standard), 18 mins (Hypercharger)
Key Features: MoveOS 4, cruise control, hill hold, 7” touchscreen
Price: ₹1.47 lakh (ex-showroom)

Ather 450X Gen 4

Top Speed: 100 km/h
Range: 160 km (TrueRange™)
Charging Time: 5.4 hours (0-80%)
Key Features: SmartEco mode, Google Maps on dashboard, TPMS
Price: ₹1.38 lakh (ex-showroom)

TVS iQube ST

Top Speed: 82 km/h
Range: 145 km (real-world)
Charging Time: 4 hours
Key Features: Alexa integration, 32L boot space, regenerative braking
Price: ₹1.25 lakh (ex-showroom)

Simple One (2025 Edition)
Top Speed: 105 km/h
Range: 212 km (IDC)
Charging Time: 5.5 hours
Key Features: Chain drive, removable battery, advanced aerodynamics
Price: ₹1.58 lakh (ex-showroom)

Bajaj Chetak Premium 2025
Top Speed: 73 km/h
Range: 113 km
Charging Time: 4.5 hours
Key Features: Retro-modern design, IP67-rated battery, solid metal body
Price: ₹1.45 lakh (ex-showroom)

Tech

OnePlus 13s Launches Today in India: A Compact Flagship Delight

Published

4 days ago

June 11, 2025

Arya Mehta

Launch Overview

OnePlus has officially launched the 13s, a compact flagship targeted exclusively at the Indian market, featuring top-tier specs in a smaller form factor

India Pricing & Availability

12 GB + 256 GB: ₹54,999
12 GB + 512 GB: ₹59,999
Sales begin June 12, 2025 via Amazon.in, OnePlus.in, and offline partners

Key Specifications

Design & Display

Compact 6.32″ OLED (≈FHD+), 120 Hz refresh, up to 1,600 nits brightness
Sleek aluminium frame, available in Black Velvet, Green Silk, and Pink Satin
Weighs ~182 g, ~8.15 mm slim

Performance & Chipset

Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm), with 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512 GB UFS 4.0 storage
Runs OxygenOS 15 on Android 15

Camera Setup

Dual 50 MP rear (main + telephoto 2× zoom) + 32 MP front

Battery & Charging

5,850 mAh Si‑C battery + 80 W SUPERVOOC fast charge, promising all-day use

AI Power & Plus Key

Replaces traditional alert slider with customizable Plus Key, which launches AI tools, camera, call assistant, and more
Deep Google Gemini integration: lock‑screen shortcut, AI Call Assistant, Plus Mind content capture, translation, summaries—all set via Plus Key

Offers & Sales

₹5,000 instant discount with SBI credit cards
No‑cost EMI plans (9–15 months)

Why OnePlus 13s Stands Out

One-handed flagship convenience—rare in high-end phones
Strong hardware at ₹55 K price point
AI-enhanced experience unmatched by competitors in segment
Unique Plus Key boosts productivity & personalization

Tech

🚀 AI Interest Surge in India: ChatGPT, GenAI Courses & National Push

Published

6 days ago

June 10, 2025

Arya Mehta

India Leads Globally on ChatGPT

According to Mary Meeker’s AI Trends Report, India tops the world for ChatGPT usage—13.5% of monthly active users, ahead of the U.S. (8.9%) and Indonesia (5.7%)
A separate LocalCircles survey confirms: 50% of Indian internet users regularly use AI platforms, with ChatGPT the most popular (28%) and 31% open to switching to alternatives like DeepSeek

GenAI Courses Spark Massive Upskilling

Edtech platforms report a doubling in GenAI course enrollments, with women’s participation up 120% in the past year.
Many working professionals are enrolling to stay relevant—earning up to 47% higher salaries after AI upskilling

Developers & Startups Fuel Innovation

India’s developer community surged past 17 million on GitHub in 2024, with a 95% increase in contributions to open-source generative AI projects
Startups leverage GenAI for content creation, healthcare, agriculture, and more—highlighting a powerful blend of “jugaad” innovation and generative capabilities

Institutional Backing & Infrastructure Boost

IndiaAI Mission was allocated ₹10,371 crore, with Centers of Excellence in healthcare, agriculture, and smart cities
Reliance’s 3 GW GPU data centre, Sarvam AI’s indigenous Indian-language LLM, and Microsoft-India cloud investments signal a strong infrastructure push

Impact on Economy & Skills

Acuité projects AI could add $500 billion to India’s GDP by 2035—a 1.3% annual boost
Despite rapid adoption, only 31% of organizations feel well-prepped to integrate AI effectively—highlighting the need for structured policies and training

Regional Trends & Talent Hubs

Telangana leads the nation in AI search interest, fueled by ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Claude, and strong local ecosystems like T-Hub and Telangana AI Mission
Trichy’s colleges now feature AI/Data Science major programs, reflecting growing student interest