Indian Microsoft H-1B Workers: Best EB-5 Investment Options

In recent years, Microsoft has remained a major employer of H-1B visa holders, particularly professionals from India. While the company offers attractive compensation, prestige, and a strong career trajectory, the volatility in the U.S. tech sector and the inflexible nature of the H-1B visa have prompted many workers to consider alternative pathways to secure permanent residency.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has emerged as one of the most viable solutions. For Indian professionals on H-1B visas at companies like Microsoft, EB-5 offers a legal means of gaining immigration independence, allowing for career flexibility, and avoiding the protracted Green Card backlog that plagues many employment-based categories.

Microsoft’s Position as a Top H-1B Employer

Microsoft consistently ranks among the top U.S. employers sponsoring international workers through the H-1B program. In FY 2025, the company filed thousands of H-1B petitions, placing it among the highest users of the visa system.

Indian nationals account for over 72% of all H-1B visas issued and a significant portion of Microsoft’s visa-holding workforce hails from India. These professionals are drawn by high salaries and lucrative stock compensation packages.

However, the H-1B framework has inherent constraints, and evolving corporate strategies have further increased job insecurity.

Challenges Facing H-1B Workers at Microsoft in 2025

Despite Microsoft’s overall growth, the company underwent notable restructuring in 2025, resulting in the layoff of approximately 9,000 employees globally. These layoffs coincided with the company’s continued efforts to sponsor new visas, which drew public criticism and calls for government intervention.

This episode underscored the fragile position of H-1B workers, whose legal status in the U.S. is tied directly to their employment. If an H-1B worker is laid off, they typically have only 60 days to secure new sponsorship or depart the U.S. Moreover, the employment-based Green Card backlog, particularly in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories, remains severely oversubscribed for Indian nationals, with waiting times often exceeding 10 years.

Microsoft Stock Performance (As of September 2025)

Despite a volatile year marked by layoffs, restructuring, and macroeconomic uncertainty, Microsoft’s stock has remained resilient.

Here’s a snapshot of its current market performance, based on Yahoo Finance, with historical charts also available on MacroTrends.

Microsoft’s stock remains a valuable asset for employees receiving Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). However, any employment disruption for H-1B workers may result in forfeiting unvested shares, underscoring the importance of immigration planning for wealth protection and long-term stability.

RSU Compensation Is a Valuable but Conditional Benefit

Microsoft’s employee compensation model includes RSUs, which significantly boost total compensation over time. On-hire RSUs generally vest over four years, while annual performance-based RSUs vest over five years on a quarterly basis.

However, H-1B visa holders must remain continuously employed to benefit from RSU vesting. If employment is terminated, unvested RSUs are forfeited, creating financial uncertainty. This policy pressures visa holders to stay employed, even if they want to pursue entrepreneurship, take a sabbatical, or switch industries.

The EB-5 Visa: An Alternative Pathway to Permanent Residency

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program offers an alternative to the uncertainty of the H-1B system.

Under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, the program has become far more accessible for H-1B workers already in the country. One of the most important developments is concurrent filing, which gives investors the ability to file the EB-5 petition (Form I-526E) at the same time as the adjustment of status application (Form I-485). With this, instead of worrying about an expiring H-1B or the looming 60-day grace period after a layoff, Indian workers can shift their status to “pending” and remain lawfully in the U.S. until they receive their Green Card.

Concurrent filing also brings practical benefits. Within a few months of submitting the applications, most EB-5 investors receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole (AP). These allow them to work freely for any employer, not just the company sponsoring their H-1B, and to travel internationally without fear of losing their status.

Another advantage for Indian applicants is the creation of new reserved visa categories. A portion of EB-5 visas are set aside each year for specific types of investments, such as rural or high-unemployment areas. These categories can help Indian nationals avoid the long visa backlogs that often delay Green Cards for years. By securing a place in one of these reserved pools, many Indian investors have been able to move forward more quickly than through traditional employment-based categories.

For H-1B workers at Microsoft who may be watching colleagues face layoffs or wondering how secure their own visa is, EB-5 represents more than just an investment program. It is a pathway to stability, family security, and career freedom. Many Indian professionals choose to make the investment during high-earning years, often using funds from vested stock grants. This not only opens the door to a Green Card but also provides the assurance that their future in the United States does not depend on the next round of corporate restructuring.

EB-5 Offers You Safety and Security

For Indian H-1B workers at Microsoft and similar employers, the EB-5 visa offers more than just a Green Card. It offers immigration independence, career flexibility, and a hedge against the inherent unpredictability of the H-1B system.

EB-5 is an increasingly relevant option in 2025. By carefully selecting a qualified project and pursuing proper legal and financial guidance, investors can unlock a direct and fast route to permanent U.S. residency.

EB5AN has helped more than 2,700 families from 70+ countries become lawful permanent residents of the United States. Our expert team has more than a decade of experience and offers clients first-rate, low-risk EB-5 regional center projects with a 100% USCIS project approval rate.

If you would like to know more about your EB-5 investment options, book a free call with our expert team today.