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

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.

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.

Thakur describes instances where multiple employees are made to share cramped accommodation while waiting for project assignments. During these periods, wages may be delayed, reduced or withheld altogether if workers remain without client placements.

Because the visa is sponsored by the employer, workers often feel they cannot challenge these practices without risking their legal status.

Why Leaving Isn’t Easy

A central argument in the book is that the structure of the H-1B programme leaves workers heavily dependent on their employers.

Unlike visa systems that give employees greater mobility, the H-1B ties legal status to the sponsoring company. This makes changing jobs difficult and increases workers’ vulnerability.

“The combination of cheap labour and unfree labour is what makes the system attractive to bad actors," Thakur argues in the book.

The book notes that workers who leave their employer must quickly find another sponsor or face losing their right to remain in the country.

Andhra Pradesh & Telangana Connection

Thakur argues that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana became major centres of the consultancy ecosystem because of their long history of migration to the US technology industry and the rapid expansion of engineering education during the IT boom.

At the same time, he emphasises that visa fraud is not confined to any particular state or community and involves individuals from across South Asia.

Calls For Change

The book proposes reforms aimed at reducing worker exploitation. These include tighter enforcement of wage rules, greater oversight of staffing firms and changes that would allow H-1B holders to switch employers without jeopardising their immigration status.

Thakur also advocates stronger action against companies found violating labour laws or engaging in visa-related fraud.

The H-1B programme has long been debated over its impact on the US labour market and whether it helps attract global talent or suppresses wages. Thakur’s book shifts the focus to the experiences of workers themselves, arguing that the system can leave some migrants vulnerable while they pursue the American dream.

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