Developers on H-1B face a tighter job market as AI shifts hiring priorities
For years, software developers on H-1B visas benefited from steady demand among US technology employers. That market is becoming more selective as companies redirect spending toward AI and rely more heavily on coding assistants. Recent layoffs at companies including Meta and Amazon have added to the uncertainty, with engineering and software roles affected even as major technology companies continue to deepen investments in AI. Developers and analysts say traditional engineering roles are becoming harder to land, recruiters are asking more often for AI-related experience, and workers are being pushed to keep pace with tools such as GitHub Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT. The shift is being driven by both AI investment and broader economic uncertainty, according to Pareekh Jain, CEO of Pareekh Consulting. Companies are changing the profile of the developers they want, hiring fewer people in some areas while paying more for AI talent. “AI investments are changing company hiring strategy,” J