NRI mother shares H1B woes as husband struggles to find job: 'Considering moving back…'

A Reddit user shared her woes and said her husband, who is on a dependent visa, has been unemployed for more than two years

An Indian professional in the US says rising childcare costs, a two-year employment gap for her husband and life on a single H-1B income have pushed the family to consider returning to India.

An Indian professional in the US says rising childcare costs, a two-year employment gap for her husband and life on a single H-1B income have pushed the family to consider returning to India. (REUTERS)

In a Reddit post, the Indian woman shared her woes and said her husband, who is on a dependent visa, has been unemployed for more than two years and is unable to secure interviews.

'Surviving on a single income is no longer sustainable'

The post, shared on Reddit's r/h1b forum, has attracted hundreds of reactions from users who shared similar experiences or urged the family to weigh the pros and cons before making a life-changing decision.

Explaining her family's situation, the Reddit user said, “I'm on an H1B, and my husband is on a dependent visa. We have a kid, and surviving on a single income is no longer sustainable.”

She said her husband's employment gap has now stretched beyond two years. “The gap is killing his resume; he's getting zero interview calls and there's no line of sight to a job.”

She talked about the financial and emotional toll on her family and wrote, “High childcare costs + financial strain are causing constant family fights, deep insecurity, and an everyday mental battle.”

The woman added that the family has become increasingly uncertain about its future in the United States. "We are stuck in the immigration queue and seriously considering moving back to India so we can both work and regain stability."

HT.com cannot independently verify the post and the claims made by the Reddit user.

Reddit users offer mixed advice

The post prompted a flood of responses from users who had faced similar immigration and employment challenges.

In the post, the woman had asked other immigrants who moved back in the forum whether returning to India had helped improve their finances and family life. Being in two minds, she also asked whether staying in the US and battling ultimately proved worthwhile.

A user commented on the post about a similar situation and wrote, “Different visa situation but my husband was not able to work for 6-8 months and it was incredibly stressful. The daily arguments were hard. I had him start volunteering to keep himself busy and out of the house and take some classes to improve his skill set. Not the most ideal situation but made things easier.”

Another user suggested, “He should first get a job in India before her resignation, if they plan to move back.”

Some users suggested that the husband look for a few consulting gigs and wrote, “I think he should try consulting gigs, they are usually more forgiving with gaps. Also, if he is in tech doing professional certifications and upskilling can help. As long as you are not going into debt, you can hang in to see things might improve. As I see it you guys are just one job away from making things work, so give it your best short.”