
A Reasonable Labrador
2K posts

A Reasonable Labrador
@reasonablelab
Just a regular type dude with a lot of questions. Software, Business, and Econ stuff. H1-b skeptic. Anti STEM-OPT.




Honestly, as someone who has traveled a lot, India is the best country I have ever traveled to. It’s incredible. I will have been here for 9 days when I leave, and there is still so much to see and do. My experience has been amazing and India is portrayed negatively in the media as a place Amercians should avoid, but I realize a lot of that is completely made up. The people, food, culture and hospitality culture are just incredible. I have felt safe and comfortable the entire time I have been here and India will truly be the next big super power. This country has incredible potential and you have to see it yourself to understand because the media only makes it out to be 3rd world. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Indian people are the nicest people I have ever met. I am very grateful for my time in India. I have enjoyed it so much and I hope I can come back every year. Next time I want to visit South India. I have tried to do as much as possible these last 9 days but there is still so much to see and do. All good things come to an end. I’ll be back (hopefully soon). I love India. My misconceptions have been corrected. I have nothing but nice things to say. 🇮🇳



Asians have a harder time getting into college than whites - which we knew - but Indians etc apparently have a harder time than East Asians.



@LauraLoomer @DalaiLama I think visiting India has been the best thing you’ve ever done - this break has done you so much good ❤️



The H-1B visa doesn’t always end when the job ends. There are a number of strategies immigration attorneys use to keep workers in the U.S. after layoffs. Some are legitimate. Others sit in regulatory gray zones. Here’s the playbook: I will separate them into legitimate strategies and aggressive / controversial ones. 1. The “Bridge Petition” Strategy Very common in tech layoffs. Process: H-1B job lost → file B-2 visitor change of status → search for new employer → new employer files H-1B Why companies use it: • buys 6–8 months of time • worker stays legally present Downside: • cannot work during B-2 • USCIS increasingly reviewing intent 2. The Multiple Filing Strategy Some workers have several companies file H-1B transfers simultaneously. Example: 3 consulting firms file petitions for the same worker. Whoever lands the project first activates the petition. USCIS allows multiple petitions if each job offer is real, but sham offers can create problems. 3. The Concurrent H-1B Strategy Worker keeps an H-1B with one employer but also works for another. Example: University job (cap-exempt H-1B) •consulting company job (cap-subject concurrent H-1B) Benefits: • avoids the lottery • keeps worker legally employed This is a very common strategy in academia and research labs. 4. The Cap-Exempt “Parking” Strategy A worker temporarily moves to: • universities • nonprofit research institutes • university-affiliated organizations These employers are exempt from the H-1B cap. Worker stays employed there until they move back into the private sector. 5. The “F-1 Reset” After losing an H-1B job, a worker enrolls in a degree program. Pipeline looks like: H-1B → F-1 student → OPT work authorization → reenter H-1B lottery This is legal if the student genuinely studies. But USCIS closely watches cases where the degree appears to exist only to extend work authorization. 6. Day-1 CPT Programs These programs allow students to work while studying. Typical pipeline: F-1 → Day-1 CPT → H-1B → layoff → return to CPT program Why controversial: • many programs allow full-time work immediately • USCIS has questioned whether some schools exist mainly to maintain status These schools are often called “CPT mills.” 7. Self-Sponsored O-1 Strategy Highly skilled workers sometimes create a company and have that company sponsor them for an O-1 visa. The structure may involve: • a U.S. agent petitioner • contracts showing work projects O-1 visas have no cap and no lottery. 8. The Green Card “Safety Net” If the worker already has an approved I-140, several protections exist: • H-1B extensions beyond 6 years • portability rules after 180 days of a pending I-485 This is why many tech workers push hard to get an I-140 early. 9. The H-4 EAD Pivot If a spouse has H-1B status with an approved I-140: Worker can switch to H-4 dependent status. Then apply for H-4 EAD work authorization. Key difference: H-4 EAD holders can work for any employer, unlike H-1B workers. 10. The Consulting Bench System Some consulting companies keep workers “on the bench” between projects. In theory: • worker still paid salary • still employed • still in H-1B status In practice, regulators often investigate whether the worker was actually being paid. Bench-without-pay is illegal. Why these strategies exist They exist because the U.S. immigration system is built around employer sponsorship, not the individual worker. So when a job disappears, the entire immigration status can disappear with it. These strategies try to bridge that gap @USCIS @StephenM @howardlutnick @SenEricSchmitt @RepGosar


Many trolled me last night because I commented on @LauraLoomer post about coming to India for #Indiatodayconclave Let's make the point: I did see a few of her pre & post-election 2024 posts – no excuse for them at all; they were terrible. x.com/LauraLoomer/st… However, what very few know is that in the summer of 2025, Laura took up cudgels for HINDUS against Khalistanis who had attacked temples in North America & had spread terror. She also spoke about the Air India Kanishka bombing & about Islamists, who were the root cause of evil. She has supported Hindu groups in Washington DC & even spoken against the Khalistanis & Pakistanis who were protesting when Shashi Tharoor & other MPs visited the National Press Club in DC to speak on Operation Sindoor. I was there at that time. Perhaps she had changed her mind between 2024 and mid-2025; the fact that she's coming to India says a lot about how the Hindu groups/Indians she has interacted with in the US have changed her thoughts. Do remember even Donald Trump, Macron, Peter Navarro & Bessent were once rabidly critical of India but are friends today. @IndiaToday

Honestly, as someone who has traveled a lot, India is the best country I have ever traveled to. It’s incredible. I will have been here for 9 days when I leave, and there is still so much to see and do. My experience has been amazing and India is portrayed negatively in the media as a place Amercians should avoid, but I realize a lot of that is completely made up. The people, food, culture and hospitality culture are just incredible. I have felt safe and comfortable the entire time I have been here and India will truly be the next big super power. This country has incredible potential and you have to see it yourself to understand because the media only makes it out to be 3rd world. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Indian people are the nicest people I have ever met. I am very grateful for my time in India. I have enjoyed it so much and I hope I can come back every year. Next time I want to visit South India. I have tried to do as much as possible these last 9 days but there is still so much to see and do. All good things come to an end. I’ll be back (hopefully soon). I love India. My misconceptions have been corrected. I have nothing but nice things to say. 🇮🇳




















If I can do 16k LOC per day across 3 different projects (including one open source one you can see yourself) then I think almost any technical CEO CTO pair at YC will That's the bar now











