Five Indian-origin CEOs now lead some of America’s most well-known technology companies after starting their U.S. careers on the H-1B visa, a work permit for specialty jobs. Sundar Pichai (Google and Alphabet), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Arvind Krishna (IBM), Jayshree Ullal (Arista Networks), and Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity AI) each began as skilled workers in the United States and rose to the top.
Their career paths differ in pace and timing, but they share a common thread: the H-1B often acted as an early bridge from graduate school or entry-level roles to senior positions in tech. Their rise also comes as demand for H-1B visas far exceeds supply, policy debates grow sharper, and young professionals from India face tougher odds and higher costs.
What the H-1B is and how it works
The H-1B is a nonimmigrant visa for “specialty occupations”—roles requiring at least a bachelor’s degree in a specific field such as engineering, computer science, or data science.
Key facts:
– 85,000 H-1B visas are available each fiscal year:
– 65,000 under the regular cap
– 20,000 reserved for U.S. master’s or higher degree holders
– Petitions typically run through a lottery when demand exceeds supply.
– Recent cycles have drawn hundreds of thousands of registrations (e.g., over 470,000 in one cycle and more than 750,000 in other years).
– Indian nationals have accounted for a large share—around three-quarters in some years.
For official program rules and employer obligations, see the USCIS reference: USCIS H-1B specialty occupations page.
How the five CEOs’ stories illustrate the pipeline
Each biography shows a long arc of career growth that can follow an initial H-1B approval.
- Sundar Pichai
Born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu; educated at IIT Kharagpur and Stanford. Joined Google in 2004 on an H-1B visa, led major product efforts (Chrome, Android, Google Drive), became CEO of Google in 2015 and CEO of Alphabet in 2019. His path exemplifies: study in the U.S. → work authorization → H-1B sponsorship → senior leadership. - Satya Nadella
Born in Hyderabad; studied at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and University of Chicago. Joined Microsoft in 1992 under H-1B, held engineering and business roles, led Azure/cloud strategy, and became CEO in 2014. His rise shows how technical depth plus executive skill can follow an H-1B start. -
Arvind Krishna
Educated at IIT Kanpur and University of Illinois. Joined IBM in 1990 on H-1B, rose through R&D and cloud enterprise roles, became CEO in 2020 and Chairman in 2021. His trajectory highlights H-1B’s role in supporting long-term research pipelines. -
Jayshree Ullal
Born in London, raised in Delhi. Moved to the U.S. as a teenager and began her career on H-1B. Senior roles at AMD and Cisco preceded her becoming President and CEO of Arista Networks. Her career underscores how immigration pathways intersect with inclusion goals in tech leadership. -
Aravind Srinivas
Graduate of IIT Madras, researcher with time at OpenAI and Google, co-founded Perplexity AI in 2022. His path shows how modern AI-focused founders may also have H-1B backgrounds, which help build the skills and networks needed to launch startups.
The student-to-worker pipeline and its challenges
Many Indian students start on an F-1 student visa, then use Optional Practical Training (OPT) and potentially a STEM OPT extension to gain work experience. If an employer wants to keep them longer, they enter the H-1B lottery.
Typical sequence and pain points:
1. F-1 → OPT / STEM OPT
2. Employer files H-1B petition (lottery may apply)
3. If selected and approved → up to six years on H-1B (usually two three-year periods)
4. Employer may begin green card (permanent residence) process — often a long wait
Common challenges:
– Low lottery odds (many qualified candidates never get adjudication)
– Adjudication hurdles even after selection
– The H-1B clock and long green card waits
– High costs and emerging fee proposals that may deter employers
VisaVerge.com reports this pipeline remains the core route for Indian professionals in software, data science, and cloud security roles. Employers hire based on skill needs, but the gate is tighter given the cap.
The formal H-1B petition process (employer-driven)
The process starts with an employer; the worker cannot file independently.
Steps and key forms:
– Employer files Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker with USCIS (supporting certified Labor Condition Application from the Department of Labor)
– Employer may request premium processing using Form I-907 for faster USCIS adjudication
– If worker is abroad and the petition is approved, they complete DS-160 and attend a consular interview
Official forms:
– Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
– Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service
– DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
Policy debates: numbers, selection rules, and fees
Policy proposals and reporting highlight three main debates:
– Total numbers: growing registrations imply demand far exceeds the 85,000 cap.
– Selection rules: questions on how to allocate slots fairly and efficiently.
– Fees: proposals and reports of large fees have raised concern—examples include a proposed $100,000 application fee for certain employers and reporting that a one-time $100,000 charge was imposed in September 2025, which triggered legal challenges.
Impact of higher fees:
– Big firms may absorb costs, but startups and midsize companies could reduce sponsorships.
– Employers worry about reduced hiring flexibility and the incentive to move projects abroad.
– Workers fear fewer sponsorship opportunities even where skill needs exist.
Practical advice for applicants and employers
For applicants (students and early-career professionals):
– Plan early in graduate school: align coursework with market demand, seek internships, build a portfolio.
– Understand the sequence: F-1 → OPT → H-1B lottery → H-1B adjudication → possible green card.
– Realize the lottery is a major uncertainty; prepare backup plans (cap-exempt roles, alternate visas, or returning to home country options).
For employers:
– Start with careful job design: accurate job descriptions, matching degree fields, correct wage level.
– Maintain LCA and public access files to ensure compliance.
– Use Form I-129 and strong supporting evidence to show specialty occupation criteria.
– Consider Form I-907 for premium processing when timelines demand it.
– If hires are abroad, plan consular appointments and DS-160 steps in advance.
Tips that improve odds operationally:
– File for cap-exempt H-1B roles (universities, certain nonprofits) where possible.
– Align hiring cycles with the cap season and keep documentation ready to match job duties to degree fields.
– Use premium processing when appropriate—note it speeds adjudication but does not change lottery selection odds.
Broader impacts and outcomes
The H-1B program supports more than individual careers; it influences research ecosystems, hiring pipelines, regional growth, and product teams. When workers begin on temporary status and later become permanent residents or citizens, benefits extend beyond a single firm.
What the five CEO stories show:
– An H-1B start is not a guarantee, but it can be a launch point.
– Long-term continuity enables mentorship, product leadership, and scale—browsers, mobile systems, networking gear, hybrid cloud platforms, and AI products have all come from teams that included H-1B hires.
– The pathway (F-1 → OPT/STEM OPT → H-1B → green card) still works, but with more friction: lower lottery odds, potential fee increases, and longer processing times.
Important takeaway: The H-1B admits people who do specialized, hard work and contribute to the economy. Talent pays off—when a junior engineer grows into a product leader, the effect ripples outward into new products, jobs, and markets.
Looking ahead
Applicants and employers should expect ongoing change:
– Lottery odds will likely remain low unless numerical caps change.
– Fees and selection rules may rise or shift; proposals have already sparked legal challenges and uncertainty.
– Policymakers may refine selection processes to reduce duplicate registrations or favor certain degree paths.
Despite uncertainty, the examples of Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Arvind Krishna, Jayshree Ullal, and Aravind Srinivas show why companies keep filing: building long-term talent pays dividends. The H-1B program does more than fill seats—it helps build the teams that shape technology’s future.
This Article in a Nutshell
Five prominent Indian-origin CEOs—Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Arvind Krishna, Jayshree Ullal and Aravind Srinivas—started their U.S. careers under the H-1B program, demonstrating how the student-to-worker pipeline can lead to senior leadership. The H-1B program offers 85,000 visas per fiscal year (65,000 regular, 20,000 U.S. master’s) and uses a lottery when demand is higher; recent cycles have seen hundreds of thousands of registrations with Indian nationals comprising a large share. Typical progression goes from F-1 student status to OPT/STEM OPT and then an employer-filed H-1B petition (Form I-129), sometimes followed by green-card sponsorship. Key challenges include low lottery odds, adjudication hurdles, long green-card waits and emerging proposals for high fees that could deter startups and midsize employers. Employers can mitigate risks by using cap-exempt slots, careful job design, premium processing, and early planning. Overall, while the pathway remains viable, increasing friction may reduce sponsorships even as companies continue to rely on international talent for innovation and long-term leadership.
