Hemant Pandey, a former Meta techie who decided to return to India after living in the United States for eight years, recently shared his reflections on this life-changing decision. In a podcast with career coach Pritesh Jagani, Pandey stated that both he and his wife are happier in India because of the stronger social circles they have found there. He revealed that a key reason for leaving the US was his dissatisfaction with the restrictions imposed by the H-1B visa program.
Pay Gap and Preferences
Pandey acknowledged the significant pay gap between the US and India but emphasized that he would always choose India over any other country, including Canada or European nations. He noted that while the US offers the best career opportunities for earning and saving substantial money, his second preference would be India. However, he admitted that he misses the blue skies and blue oceans of the US.
Content Creation and Visa Issues
Pandey began creating content alongside his tech job in the US but was unable to monetize it due to his H-1B visa status. This limitation was one of the driving factors behind his decision to leave the US.
The Financial Aspect of Returning to India
Pandey arrived in the US in 2016 to pursue a master's degree in Computer Science. His first job was at Tesla, and he was fortunate to be selected in the H-1B lottery on his first attempt. However, he was later laid off from Tesla. He secured another job that sponsored his H-1B visa and began processing his Green Card application. In December 2024, Pandey returned to India and continued working remotely for Meta for a few months. After taking a career break and a vacation, he has been working for LinkedIn from Bengaluru for the past few months.
Determining the 'Return to India' Fund
When asked about the necessary savings for returning to India, Pandey explained that it varies based on individual circumstances, such as whether one has parents in India or children. He advised against chasing a specific figure or fixating on a particular amount. For some NRIs, even a corpus of Rs 5 crore might be insufficient if they plan to send their children to international schools or buy a villa in India. Pandey had a target amount in mind and returned to India once he reached it. He set aside money to purchase property in a tier 1 city, without disclosing the exact figure. Additionally, since neither he nor his wife planned to retire, the corpus fund supplemented their Indian income.
Earnings and Timing
Pandey suggested that earning one-third of US earnings in India is sufficient for NRIs considering a return. He advised NRIs to set a fixed date for their move rather than focusing solely on accumulating a specific amount of money, as the decision to relocate is often more challenging than the financial planning.
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