An NRI technician shared a genuine feeling that even after being selected in the recently concluded H-1B lottery, he still felt a strange sadness and confusion and even considered returning to India as he said it was a small startup employer that would allow him to continue doing the same job in India. This admission comes amid a deluge of depressing posts about the end of the American Dream, for those who didn’t get picked up and don’t have any other options to stay in the U.S. legally. When this Reddit user asked for help thinking through possible scenarios, if he returned to India and regretted his decision, if he stayed in the United States and lost his job next year, the social media user pointed out that the grass will always be greener on the other side and the Reddit user needs a clear goal to make a decision from. Many people suggested that he work in India for a month to see if he was willing to work there. But at the same time, others warned him that this option came with the threat of being stuck in India indefinitely due to the immigration standoff.
Redditors say the H-1B lottery doesn’t bring any joy due to mental burnout.
The Reddit user explained that he has lived in the United States for the past four years, studying for a master’s degree, then OPT, STEM OPT, and now H-1B. “I did everything right to get here. But now that this has actually happened, I feel mentally exhausted. Almost exhausted… I always thought this was going to be a ‘finally, I did it’ moment. But instead, I feel a weird sense of sadness and I really don’t understand why,” the person wrote.This is the first time USCIS has conducted a salary-based lottery, giving those who qualify for a higher salary base more opportunities, rather than selecting candidates in a random drawing.