Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Dominic-Madori Davis spoke with Jeremy Neufeld, the Director of Immigration Policy at the Institute for Progress. They discussed what the recent H-1B change means for startups, founders, and the future of tech talent in America.
A major topic was a significant loophole that allows eighty percent of H-1B applicants to avoid the new one hundred thousand dollar fee entirely. They also explored the new wage system, which could result in more visa slots being allocated to experienced acupuncturists than to recent artificial intelligence PhD graduates who earn two hundred thousand dollars a year.
Another point of discussion was the current uncertainty for universities and national labs. These institutions know they are required to pay the new fee, but they do not yet know how the payment process will work.
The Equity podcast is TechCrunch’s flagship show, produced by Theresa Loconsolo. New episodes are released every Wednesday and Friday. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and other platforms. You can also follow the show on X and Threads at the handle EquityPod.