Recent restrictions on the U.S. H-1B visa and PERM programs are raising an important question for multinational employers: if companies cannot keep or bring the high-skilled talent they need into the United States, where will the jobs and talent go?
CHRO Global’s take: Immigration-related developments around the world are creating uncertainty for companies that rely on international talent, particularly in specialized technical and professional roles. Companies with mature global operations have greater flexibility to access talent irrespective of immigration restrictions in any single country. Global employers should review their international structures to best support their companies’ talent plans.
Background: The Trump administration has introduced multiple measures tightening the H-1B program and other employment-based immigration or residency programs, including changes to visa selection and higher proposed sponsorship costs. The goal is to provide these job opportunities for U.S. citizens.
However, research suggests that restricting skilled immigration can shift employment overseas rather than keeping those jobs in the United States. A recent study examined how U.S. multinational companies responded to previous H-1B visa restrictions.
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Researchers found that for every visa rejection, companies hired an average of 0.42 additional employees at foreign affiliates.
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Among the most internationally established companies, the figure rose to 0.93 employees, with much of the additional overseas employment concentrated in Canada, India, and China.
The findings highlight an important competitive advantage: Companies with established overseas operations can move work to talent when immigration rules close a door at home. Those without established international infrastructure may face greater challenges filling critical roles.
For global HR leaders, this requires a more strategic approach to global talent planning:
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Map critical skills against global talent availability. Identify roles that genuinely require a U.S. presence and those that could be performed elsewhere. Consider existing workforce capabilities and talent pipelines before expanding into new markets.
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Strengthen existing international operations and assess whether current regional offices can take on additional responsibilities if needed, particularly in technology, engineering, and other specialized functions.
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Build the infrastructure for global workforce flexibility. Review whether HR systems, internal mobility programs, compensation frameworks, and local management capabilities can support cross-border recruitment and distributed teams. Immigration, tax, and employment law considerations should be addressed early.
The bigger picture: The broader lesson extends beyond H-1B restrictions. As immigration policies and global talent markets continue to evolve, the ability to deploy talent across borders is becoming an important element of organizational resilience. For multinational employers, the question is no longer simply where talent can be hired, but how effectively the organization can operate wherever that talent is eligible to work.
