‘If we can’t bring the brains to America…’: Ex-Meta techie praises Indian talent, welcomes H1-B visa court ruling

A post by ex- Meta engineer and tech entrepreneur Zach Wilson has sparked a debate online after he celebrated a US court ruling related to H-1B visas and praised the quality of engineering talent emerging from India.

Wilson, who teaches data engineering and runs a technology education platform, shared his thoughts on X shortly after a federal court struck down a proposed $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications.

The entrepreneur argued that the fee would have made it significantly harder for skilled foreign workers, particularly Indians, to pursue career opportunities in the United States.

'The $100k H-1B Visa Fee Was Just Struck Down'

Reacting to the court's decision, Wilson wrote, "The $100k H-1B visa fee was just struck down by a federal court."

He said that over the past several months, he had found it difficult to advise Indian students hoping to build careers in the US technology sector.

According to Wilson, immigration policies under President Donald Trump had reduced opportunities for many aspiring professionals.

He wrote that it had been "depressing" to tell Indian students looking for data engineering jobs in the US that their prospects had become more uncertain.

Why Bengaluru And Hyderabad Left An Impression

Wilson said his concerns about immigration restrictions were among the reasons he travelled to Bengaluru and Hyderabad earlier this year.

During his visit, he met entrepreneurs, engineers and technology professionals working across India's rapidly expanding startup and innovation ecosystem.

Reflecting on those interactions, he wrote, "If we can't bring the brains to America, the brains will continue building amazing things in India."

Wilson also praised the growth of India's technology sector, describing it as evidence that "the world is balancing out."

His remarks struck a chord with many users who viewed them as recognition of India's increasing influence in global technology and innovation.

'Proud To Be An American'

The entrepreneur also described the court ruling as a reminder of the institutional safeguards that, in his view, continue to support innovation and immigration in the US.

"The entrepreneur also hailed the court ruling as proof that America still possesses the 'checks and balances' needed to remain a country driven by immigrants and innovation."

He added, "Today is one of the few days in a very long time that I say I'm proud to be an American and that my government is doing something right."

Critics Push Back

Not everyone agreed with Wilson's position.

His post quickly attracted criticism from users who argued that American graduates should receive greater priority in the domestic job market.

One commenter pointed to the challenges faced by thousands of US graduates with degrees in data science and related fields, claiming that loopholes in H-1B and Optional Practical Training (OPT) programmes disadvantage young Americans entering the workforce.

"Have you ever thought of training the US students?

I honestly know at least 10 university graduates who got degrees in data science and software engineering and can’t even get an interview, let alone a job.

Yet many of the same companies are hiring H1B visa holders," a user asked.

The criticism reopened a familiar debate around skilled immigration, labour shortages and competition for technology jobs.

'The Jobs Would Be Shipped To Bangalore Anyway'

Wilson responded directly to some of the criticism, arguing that globalisation and outsourcing have already changed the way companies hire talent.

"The jobs would be shipped to Bangalore anyway, so it's not like they're taking a job that would've gone to an American," he wrote.

He also defended Indian professionals against criticism, saying that throughout his career in Big Tech, he had worked under several Indian managers and had never experienced discrimination.