Indian Data Scientist Leaves Six-Figure US Job and H-1B Visa to Return Home

For many Indian professionals, winning the H-1B lottery is seen as the moment a difficult US career journey finally becomes more secure. For 28-year-old data scientist Disha Lamba, however, it came just as she was preparing to leave America.

Lamba moved to the US in 2021 at the age of 23 to pursue a master's degree in computer engineering at New York University. She later built a career in the country and joined CVS Health as a data scientist in 2024.

Her employer sponsored her H-1B application, and she was informed in March 2026 that she had been selected in the lottery.

Yet by May, Lamba had resigned and returned to Gurugram.

In an account published by Business Insider, Lamba said she had a six-figure salary, a job she liked and a good social life in New York. But she had also decided that she wanted to return to India, primarily to be closer to her family and because she was uncomfortable with the restrictions attached to the H-1B visa.

For Lamba, the decision was not simply about money or career growth.

She said that when the workday ended at 5 pm, there was nobody around to ask how her day had gone. She had friends in the US, but felt they could not replace her family.

Even calls with her mother, whom she described as her best friend, had to be organised around the time difference.

After returning to Gurugram, Lamba moved in with her parents and brother. She also took a two-month career break without another job offer in hand.

She said being outside an employment visa gave her the freedom to take that break, explore opportunities, potentially change employers or even consider starting a business or pursuing a side project without worrying about immigration restrictions.

Lamba said the H-1B had advantages, but she was not comfortable with its limitations.

She cited the difficulty of changing employers, pursuing additional income streams and taking a career break. She also pointed to the visa-stamping process involved in travelling outside the US and returning, as well as the need to keep managing a status generally granted in three-year increments.

Her experience comes at a time when uncertainty around the US immigration system is becoming a bigger consideration for Indian professionals and families.

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed removing certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B workers from the categories eligible to seek employment authorisation. The proposal would reverse the 2015 rule that allowed certain eligible H-4 spouses to obtain employment authorisation. However, it is currently only a regulatory proposal and does not mean H-4 spouses have been banned from working.

The Times of India reported that the proposal triggered confusion among H-1B families, while America First activists claimed that more than 600,000 jobs could become available within two to four weeks if the change were implemented. That figure is a claim by activists, not an official government projection.

Immigration experts quoted by TOI have stressed that nothing has changed immediately for H-4 EAD holders. A proposed rule would have to go through publication, public comments, review and a final rule before any such change takes effect.

The uncertainty is also influencing how some Indian families think about permanent residency.

The Times of India recently reported a sharp rise in enquiries from Gujarat families exploring the EB-5 investor visa as an alternative route to US permanent residency. A significant portion of the demand is reportedly coming from families whose children are already in America on H-1B visas and are waiting for a clearer green-card pathway.

According to the TOI report, some regional centres have stopped accepting fresh applications amid the rush. The minimum EB-5 investment currently stands at $1.05 million, while the threshold is $800,000 for qualifying targeted employment areas or infrastructure projects.

The report also highlighted a striking pattern among some wealthy Gujarat families: parents are funding EB-5 applications for children already studying or working in the US, while not necessarily seeking permanent residency themselves because of the US tax implications associated with becoming a green-card holder.

Lamba's decision does not mean she considers her US experience a failure.

She said the years in New York made her more ambitious, independent and confident. She also acknowledged that she misses parts of American life, including walking around New York and its skyline.

But back in Gurugram, she said the ability to hug her parents every morning and start the day with her family over green tea reminded her why she returned.

For now, she has no job offer in hand. She believes India can offer comparable career opportunities and is using her break to explore what comes next.

Her story arrives at a moment when the traditional equation of US job + H-1B + eventual green card is becoming more complicated for many Indian professionals.

Some are trying to secure permanent residency through routes such as EB-5. Some H-4 families are watching proposed work-authorisation changes closely. And Lamba chose a different route altogether: after finally securing the H-1B she had worked towards, she decided she did not want to build the rest of her life around it.