BeyondH1B: Indian students have a co-pilot for their American visa journey

Arbaaz Shaikh, like thousands of Indian students and professionals across our nation, has been a part of a mega-trend that is cementing ties between India and the USA. Approximately a handful of lakh Indian students are attending American colleges and universities, annually. Their origins are Maharashtra, Telangana, Rajasthan, and other states and union territories. Combined with China, these individuals represent over half of the pool of international students in the USA—a demographic cohort that contributes over $40 billion annually to the American economy.

International students and professionals have been contributing treasure and talent. America’s complex immigration system often erects obstacles these individuals that strive to build their resumes and lives in the USA. Yet, notwithstanding the most challenging concepts that they learn about data science, finance, or artificial intelligence, they are often at a loss at understanding what’s involved in maneuvering through America’s visa system. That is why Mr. Shaikh is so passionate about the mission of BeyondH1B (BH1B).  He would like to stand side by side with international professionals to hold roles with American corporations and institutions—the jobs which can build foundations for their careers.

Mr. Shaikh personally has experienced these obstacles. Notwithstanding his strong academic credentials, inclusive of graduation from Pune University (“the Oxford of the East”), he has felt the same anxiety as other international professionals in the USA. “Can I stay in America and continue building on the work experience I have acquired? “Or will I be compelled to leave?” These are the questions that international students and workers in America inevitably ask.

Currently, Mr. Shaikh is part of a team to build an American startup venture that’s addressing this problem for international professionals, as well as the corporations that hire them and the educational institutions that attract them. This venture is pioneering an AI-powered methodology for U.S. corporations and universities to assist their efforts in facilitating the career progress of international students and workers. BH1B, a cutting-edge digital platform, is set to revolutionize the immigration process for America’s international students and workers. Founded by a team of visionary leaders, like Mr. Shaikh, BH1B aims to address the critical needs of acculturation, career guidance, and immigration planning for international students and professionals aspiring to work and reside in the USA. With a mission to cultivate global talent and drive economic growth, BH1B is poised to create more leaders in American industries.

This startup is promoting itself as an Immigration Co-Pilot for global talent seeking to enter the “air space” of the American economy. It is the brainchild of three co-founders including myself—all who share a compassion for the struggles of international students and their respective quests for career opportunities. With a master’s degree in public health from Boston University, and a background in epidemiology and biostatistics, Mengyu Ma brought her own insights regarding the immigration challenges of foreign students—as well as initial seed funding for the venture. She is looking to cure what she sees as ailing the immigration experience of international professionals. Her tenure with leading hospitals and medical institutions informs her dedication to supporting international professionals.

Mr. Shaikh brings information technology expertise to help build out the AI infrastructure of this digital platform. He draws upon various aspects of his professional experience to serve this Immigration Co-Pilot. For example, in one past assignment, he made innovative use of advanced analytics to provide critical data-driven insights, driving continuous improvements in the incident response process. Those efforts transformed an organization’s operational efficiency and security posture. Regarding security, he appreciate the importance of privacy and confidentiality when a corporation handles personal data. Most importantly, Mr. Shaikh has a keen eye for detail and profound knowledge of cybersecurity protocols which have enabled him to detect and correct vulnerabilities and misconfigurations with exceptional precision. But, perhaps, the most exciting application of his work experience to the technology of the BH1B model is how he has previously automated repetitive tasks—tasks such as data extraction and compliance checks, while integrating seamless data flow across enterprise systems. This allows human intervention to focus on strategic tasks which cannot be afforded to be lost while using AI.

A third engine driving this pioneering venture is a seasoned immigration attorney, Min Chan, who is a naturalized American citizen who has helped dozens of visa petitioners. Min is talented in simplifying complex legal issues for her clients. Her research and participation in international legal technology conferences have shaped BH1B's platform, as well as her past experience with information services in the legal field.
Additionally, the team is supported by G. Lamont Blackstone as an advisor. Blackstone is the former chief investment officer of an equity investment fund. Lamont is also the former board chairman of a leading training and career development initiative that has been creating career pathways for American minorities in the commercial real estate industry. As a graduate of the prestigious Wharton School, he also brings fundamental business guidance, content creation skills, and insights regarding the cultivation of multicultural talent pools for American corporations.  

During Mr. Shaikh’s work at Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC), he was involved in multiple critical projects for Fortune 500 institutions, assignments where he was tasked with reviewing approximately 4,000 to 10,000 lines of code to ensure compliance with stringent regulatory requirements. He has also used software applications to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks involved in the corporate auditing process. However, none of those assignments were as challenging as decoding the complexities of America’s work visa process. Many American corporations would likely agree since they reportedly invest in excess of $30,000 (excluding the salary paid) to sponsor each international student and professional under the U.S. H-1B process. The BH1B team believes it is now time for Indian nationals and other highly-qualified global talent to move beyond reliance on the H-1B system and leverage the other immigration pathways available in the USA—ergo the name of our venture: Beyond H1B.   

Both India and the USA are well-positioned to benefit from trans-global linkages and talent and investment flows in both directions. Multiple American corporations have been led by talent of Indian ancestry—including technology giants such as Microsoft. And India is on a steady trajectory to become the globe’s 3rd-largest economy. BH1B will become one of the engines propelling the vessel of economic growth for both nations.