In a bold stance against the newly proposed steep fees for skilled worker visas, the chief technology officer of an artificial intelligence company has dismissed the $100,000 annual H-1B visa cost as insignificant. Shahriar Tajbakhsh, the CTO and co-founder of Metaview AI, even joked that the fee should be charged per day, underscoring his company's unwavering commitment to hiring top global talent, particularly from India.
Viral Hiring Posters Defy Prevailing Sentiment
The London-based AI startup, which develops software to automate job interviews, recently created a stir on social media with its direct hiring campaign in India. The posters, which went viral, carried clear messages: "Yes, we still sponsor H-1Bs" and "No, AI won't build itself." This move is particularly notable given the hub of H-1B applications is India and the prevalent sentiment in some US circles against the visa program.
When the increased fee was announced in September, Tajbakhsh took to social media to state his position. He referred to the $100,000 sum as a "rounding error" when compared to the immense value that H-1B professionals bring to his team. "Make it per day," he posted flippantly. "I’ll set up a recurring payment," he added, making it abundantly clear that the financial hurdle does not deter his recruitment strategy.
Who is Shahriar Tajbakhsh?
Shahriar Tajbakhsh is an Iranian-origin technology entrepreneur and engineer. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from University College London and previously worked at the data analytics firm Palantir Technologies before founding Metaview in 2018. While the company is headquartered in London, it has expanded its operations to the United States.
In an earlier conversation with Business Insider this year, Tajbakhsh revealed that Metaview plans to submit more H-1B petitions in the next lottery. He asserted that political changes, like a potential executive order from former President Donald Trump, would not shake his core belief that an organization's success hinges entirely on its people.
The Value of Talent Over Cost
Interestingly, Tajbakhsh himself is not on an H-1B visa. He is relocating to the US on an EB-1 visa, a category reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability. This perspective from a founder who qualifies for a 'genius visa' reinforces his argument for prioritizing skill over cost.
He elaborated on his philosophy, stating, "When you sum up the value created by people's hard work, $100,000 just doesn't matter. The only way to build anything meaningful that changes people's lives is to have a world-class team — there's no shortcut around that." He concluded with a stark warning for other founders, saying, "Trying to save money on talent is the most irresponsible thing a founder could possibly do."
This episode highlights the ongoing tension in the US tech industry between protectionist immigration policies and the relentless demand for high-skilled AI and engineering talent. Companies like Metaview AI are signaling that for true innovators, the cost of accessing the best minds in the world, especially from tech talent powerhouses like India, is a necessary investment, not a barrier.
