‘Desi consultancies’: The hidden side of the H-1B visa dream and its impact on Indian workers

For decades, the H-1B visa program has been a key part of the United States’ high-skilled immigration system, praised by supporters as a way to attract global talent while criticized by opponents who argue it can be misused at the expense of American workers and foreign employees.

A new book, Wild Wild East: Exiled Americans, Enslaved Indians and the Systemic Abuse of the H-1B Visa Programme, examines one of the most controversial parts of the system — the network of “desi consultancies”, also known as H-1B “body shops”.

These firms typically connect Indian technology workers with US companies through layers of recruiters, subcontractors, universities and corporate clients. Author Tanul Thakur argues that some of these companies exploit both foreign workers seeking opportunities in America and local technology professionals affected by the system.

Discussing the issue on the Grand Tamasha podcast, Thakur described cases where workers in India were allegedly promised US jobs but discovered after arriving that the reality was very different.

“Desi consultancies often lie to tech workers in India that they have a job in the US,” Thakur said, describing his own experience with such firms while searching for employment after college.

He alleged that some workers face delayed salaries, threats linked to their immigration status and difficult working conditions because their legal status depends heavily on their employers or visa sponsors.

Thakur said the exploitation within parts of the consultancy industry has been widely known but argued that enforcement has been insufficient. He claimed that large corporations benefit from the existing system and have influence over how the H-1B program operates.

He also criticized gaps in oversight, saying some companies removed from the program can continue operations by creating new entities.

Thakur suggested reforms to prevent misuse of the visa system, arguing that some companies use H-1B workers as a source of lower-cost labour while still presenting the program as a way to recruit highly skilled talent.

He said companies often cite shortages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, while critics argue some employers use the program to reduce labour costs rather than fill genuine skill gaps.