Apple and Google have advised employees on H-1B visas to avoid international travel amid delays in visa processing under the Trump administration. Internal memos from law firms working with the companies highlight risks of extended stays abroad due to heightened vetting. This guidance reflects broader impacts on the tech sector's reliance on foreign talent.
Apple and Google, two of the largest tech firms in the United States, have issued warnings to their visa-holding employees against traveling outside the country. According to internal memos reviewed by NPR, the companies are concerned about potential delays in re-entering the US, exacerbated by new immigration policies from the Trump administration.
The advisories come as US consulates and embassies report months-long delays for visa appointments. A key factor is a Department of Homeland Security rule requiring applicants to undergo screening of up to five years of their social media history, a measure criticized by free speech advocates as an invasion of privacy.
Berry Appleman & Leiden, a law firm advising Google, stated in a memo: "We recommend avoiding international travel at this time as you risk an extended stay outside of the U.S." Similarly, Fragomen, which works with Apple, wrote: "Given the recent updates and the possibility of unpredictable, extended delays when returning to the U.S., we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now. If travel cannot be postponed, employees should connect with Apple Immigration and Fragomen in advance to discuss the risks."
These companies together employ over 300,000 people and depend heavily on skilled foreign workers through H-1B visas, which typically last three years and require renewals at embassies in home countries. Earlier this year, the White House imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, further straining tech hiring.
A recent Washington Post report detailed how hundreds of visa holders in India faced postponed appointments, with the State Department citing the need for additional time to assess threats to national security or public safety.
At Google, the Alphabet Workers' Union is pushing for stronger protections for H-1B holders, especially amid layoff risks that could end sponsorship. Union leader and Google software engineer Parul Koul noted that the urgency has grown "with all the scrutiny and heightened vetting by the Trump administration around the H1B program, and how the administration is coming for all other types of immigrant workers."
Apple and Google declined to comment on the memos, which were first reported by Business Insider. This situation underscores the challenges posed by aggressive immigration policies to the US tech workforce.
