Silicon Valley MedTech Giant Shocks Industry by Pausing H-1B Hiring: What It Means for the Future

Intuitive, a prominent medtech company with over 13,000 employees, has decided to pause H-1B visa offers. This move comes right after the White House introduced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applications. This decision is affecting tech hiring broadly, not just smaller firms struggling to survive.

Based in Sunnyvale, California, Intuitive is known for its da Vinci surgical robots and has a market cap exceeding $150 billion. In the previous year, the company generated more than $8 billion in revenue. However, their job listings now reflect a pause on hiring candidates who need H-1B sponsorship. This change appears across various roles, including software engineers and communication specialists.

The pause was announced in over 100 job listings, citing uncertainty due to the new U.S. policy. There’s no timeline provided for when the company might resume H-1B offers. This development highlights the ripple effects of the recent executive order signed on September 19 by President Donald Trump, which shocked many companies. HR teams scrambled to advise international employees to return home within 24 hours as the order took effect.

While the White House later clarified that current H-1B holders wouldn’t be affected, new applicants face constraints. Intuitive has been a significant player in sponsoring H-1B visas, submitting over 1,500 petitions since 2009 according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data.

In the face of these changes, experts are concerned about the long-term impact on the tech industry. A recent survey by the National Foundation for American Policy reported that tech companies depend heavily on H-1B visa holders. In 2022, nearly 70% of software developers at major tech firms were foreign-born. The new policy may lead to a talent drain, pushing qualified individuals to countries with more welcoming immigration policies.

On social media, reactions have been mixed. Many workers are voicing frustration, while others are calling for a more open immigration system to sustain innovation. The broader debate about immigration policies could shape the future landscape of the tech workforce in the U.S. in ways we are just beginning to understand.

For more on the impacts of immigration policies on the workforce, you might check out the National Immigration Forum.

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