Indian Techie With H-1B Visa Returns From US After Quitting “Toxic” Job, Says He Nonetheless Misses American Lifemodel

A viral story on Reddit has highlighted the journey of an Indian tech skilled who stop a “toxic” job at a US-based startup to return to India for a job paying Rs 37 lakh every year (LPA). After shifting to the US in 2022 on an H-1B visa, the techie joined a boutique startup the place he confronted common humiliation and verbal demeaning from a colleague. The surroundings was so taxing that he steadily sat in his automotive and cried after work.

“But those 1.5 years were honestly the hardest phase of my life. I had 11+ years of experience and expected to move into architect-level responsibilities. Instead, I was working purely as a developer. My only teammate (a Russian colleague) would regularly humiliate and verbally demean me. I slowly lost confidence and started questioning my own competence.

The startup had existed for 10 years but still had no stable clients. It was constantly in “stealth mode.” Meetings with potential customers were failing. The US job market was brutal, and I couldn’t find another role easily. I used to sit in my car after work and cry,” he defined.

Exhausted after 1.5 years, he acquired two gives: $124,000 (roughly Rs 1.05 crore) within the US and Rs 37 lakh in India. Despite the numerous nominal pay lower, he selected to return residence to flee the psychological pressure. On the very day he resigned, he acquired notification that his Program Electronic Review Management (step one for a inexperienced card) was authorized. However, he felt too emotionally damaged to remain for the remaining 180-day requirement.

See the submit right here:

Left the US on H1B after PERM approval due to toxic startup – now in India and regretting it. Did I make a mistake?
by u/Miserable-Mind4356 in h1b

Life in India:

He now works as a senior architect at a big companies agency. While his stress ranges are decrease in India and he has extra skilled respect, he admitted to “second-guessing” the transfer and lacking the US way of life. 

“Now I am in India working as a senior architect in a large services company. I am respected, leading teams, making enterprise decisions. My stress levels are much lower than they were in the US startup. But I deeply miss the US lifestyle. It was my childhood dream to settle there permanently,” he stated. 

The tech skilled is now affected by doubts, questioning what would’ve occurred if he’d caught it out for one more 12 months, waited a bit longer, or switched jobs after getting his immigration standing sorted. 

“Did I walk away from a golden opportunity? Or did I save myself from something that was breaking me? I feel peaceful in India — but unfinished inside. Looking for honest opinions, especially from people who’ve been through the immigration grind,” he requested fellow Reddit customers. 

Internet Reactions

Many echoed that his resolution to remain in India was the correct one, highlighting that psychological peace and well being outweigh every part else 

One person wrote, “It’s a nightmare here for H1B folks right now. Count your lucky stars.”

Another commented, “You didn’t make a wrong decision. You made the best decision with the info and priorities you had at that time. If you’re peaceful today, that already tells you something. Missing the US is normal. We miss versions of ourselves too.”

“Mental peace and health are really important for long-term well-being, so I think you made the right choice,” stated a 3rd whereas a fourth added, “Man, you’re happy! That’s more than your idealistic dream of your stressful life in the US.”

The transfer comes amid a tightening US job market and elevated visa anxiousness, prompting many to leverage distant work alternatives or return to India for higher work-life steadiness.