Dark Side Of H-1B Dream: New Book Details Alleged Exploitation Of Indian Workers

Published 29 June 2026 · india

Dark Side Of H-1B Dream: New Book Details Alleged Exploitation Of Indian Workers Published By, Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 11:13 IST The book says

Dark Side Of H-1B Dream: New Book Details Alleged Exploitation Of Indian Workers Published By, Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 11:13 IST The book says fresh graduates and even professionals from unrelated fields are encouraged to exaggerate their experience by claiming expertise in specialised technologies. Rapid Read While many operate legally, the book alleges some misuse the H-1B system to exploit workers. For many Indian students and professionals, the H-1B visa has long symbolised a pathway to a career in the United States. It promises opportunities in the technology sector, high salaries and the possibility of permanent residency. But a new book by journalist and film critic Tanul Thakur argues that, for some, the journey is marked by exploitation rather than opportunity. In a new book, Wild Wild East: Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians and the Systemic Abuse of the H-1B Visa Programme, Thakur examines the role of “desi consultancies", small staffing firms that connect Indian tech workers with US employers. While many operate legally, the book alleges that some misuse the H-1B system and exploit workers who depend on them for jobs and immigration status. Staffing Firms At The Centre Desi consultancies, often referred to as “body shops" in the industry, primarily function as recruitment intermediaries. Rather than developing software or offering technology services themselves, they place workers at client companies through multiple layers of staffing agencies and recruiters.

Although this arrangement is a common and lawful hiring model, Thakur argues that certain firms have built businesses around exploiting gaps in the H-1B programme. Big Promises, Uncertain Jobs The book claims that recruiters frequently approach Indian graduates in the US and prospective migrants in India with assurances of lucrative IT jobs, visa sponsorship and even a future green card. According to Thakur, these offers are often made before any meaningful assessment of a candidate’s skills. Workers later discover that the promised position may not exist, or that employment depends entirely on the consultancy securing a client project. “Many workers arrive in the US only to realise they have effectively been trafficked from India with false promises of employment," Thakur said. Profiles That Don’t Match Reality Thakur also details practices allegedly used to make candidates appear more employable in the competitive US technology market. The book says fresh graduates and even professionals from unrelated fields are encouraged to exaggerate their experience by claiming expertise in specialised technologies. Some candidates reportedly undergo brief coaching sessions before interviews, while others allegedly rely on proxy interviewers to answer technical questions. Once hired, workers often depend on remote assistance from experienced professionals to complete assignments they were never trained to perform. Life After Arrival According to the book, problems continue even after workers reach the United States.