‘Net losers’: Jaishankar’s sharp message to nations blocking skilled workers amid H-1B visa curbs

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday cautioned that countries blocking the movement of skilled professionals across borders will ultimately be “net losers”, stressing that India must continue persuading global partners that talent mobility is a mutually beneficial proposition.

Speaking at an interactive session during a mobility-focused conclave, Jaishankar’s comments came amid rising concerns over the United States imposing new fees on H-1B visas — a move seen as part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration.

Responding to a query on immigration challenges, including the scrutiny of the H-1B programme, he argued that advanced manufacturing economies need more skilled workers, not fewer.

“They would be net losers if they erect too many roadblocks to the flow of talent. Particularly if you move into an era of advanced manufacturing, you will need more talent,” he said.

Without naming any country, he stressed that India must convey that using “talent across boundaries is to our mutual benefit.”

Jaishankar noted that business and technology leaders often advocate for freer mobility, while opposition usually comes from those “with a political base or constituency to address”. He added that resistance is also linked to efforts by some nations to shift manufacturing away from China.

Under the H-1B visa system, foreign workers with specialised skills can work in the US for up to six years. Indians account for nearly 71% of all approved applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Jaishankar said job pressures in developed countries stem less from foreign workers and more from the offshoring of manufacturing. “If people don't travel, the work will travel,” he warned.

The minister also highlighted the growing significance of legal mobility in India’s global engagement, pointing out that remittances touched $135 billion last year — nearly double India’s exports to the US. These contributions, he said, reflect both the livelihoods and assets built by Indians abroad.

At the same time, he cautioned strongly against illegal pathways. Illegal mobility, he said, often intersects with trafficking, organised crime, and political agendas, including separatist networks.