Immigration lawyer Deepika Singh says Indians have academic advantage over Americans
A Silicon Valley immigration lawyer believes Indian professionals on H-1B visas have an advantage over some U.S. workers because of India’s “robust” education system. This argument has a long history in the debate over foreign workers in the U.S. tech industry.Bay Area immigration advocates discuss role of Indian immigrants in U.S. economy Deepika Singh Said that the Indian community has played an important role in the development of the country through education, hard work and business leadership.In an interview with British News and US journalist Steven Edgington, Deepika said: “I think the Indian community has really contributed to the development of the United States, just because we have a lot of academics, right? All Indians are highly educated and I think we have been a very high contributor to the American economy.” If you look at a lot of our big companies, a lot of CEOs are Indian. “The discussion focused on the long-running controversy surrounding the H-1B visa, which allows U.S. companies to hire skilled foreign workers, particularly in the technology sector. Most of the applicants for these visas are Indian or Chinese. MAGA supporters claim such visas reduce opportunities for American workers.Asked whether Indian workers on H-1B visas were doing jobs that Americans couldn’t do, Singh said some foreign workers did have advantages shaped by India’s academic culture.Deepika said, “Some of it yes. The education system in India is very robust. To me, the focus has always been on academics, right? For us, when we went to school, our parents were like, ‘Hey, take care of everything else, but just focus on your studies,’ right? So I guess Indians are born that way. We are adapted to learn quickly and we can grasp things easily.”She added: “I think the salary level and all of that…I would say we have a stronger education-wise, right? I think yes, Indians do have an advantage over some other applicants when it comes to filing H-1B.”Singer rejects the idea that immigrants are replacing American employees. She said outsourcing and recruiting overseas are just business decisions.“There’s a business rationale for outsourcing work to India or sending work back to India, right? You have to have the need for it,” she said. “I’m an American, I come to work every day, I do my job. I don’t think I’ve replaced any American workers here. I’ve come here, I’ve worked, I’ve been through the system, I’ve acclimated, and I’m still working.”U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a major policy change in September 2025 to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications submitted by workers outside the United States. That’s a huge jump from the previous cost of several thousand dollars.
