For many NRIs, it is always a dream to return to their motherland after achieving their dreams and also earning substantial savings. A 49-year-old tech professional, who has spent the last two decades working across India and the United States in the IT industry expresses his interest in returning to India. However, he has a lot of concerns.
Though he has extensive experience and a successful career, he now finds himself dealing with concerns that many others in the industry share—AI, visa issues, and ageism.
In a recent social media post, the professional expressed his growing anxiety about the potential challenges he might face in the near future, particularly with AI automation increasingly affecting the tech industry.
He stated that his worries about visa-related barriers, as well as the prevalent issue of ageism in the workplace, where older workers are often pushed out in favour of younger, more tech-savvy individuals.
These factors have led him to wonder whether he will be forced to retire sooner than he had planned.
What are his concerns?
“I’m worried that because of AI, visa issues, and ageism, I will be forced to retire in the near future. I’m reaching out for advice on whether I can survive after returning to India with my current savings,” the post read.
While he plans to move back to India in the coming years, he is uncertain about whether his financial situation will be enough to sustain him and his family, especially with the costs associated with renting a house upon his return.
To give you a better idea of his situation, here is a breakdown of his savings, Indian Mutual Funds: Rs.1.6 Crore, US Mutual Funds: $430k 401k: $290k, US Stocks: $50k
The tech professional is seeking advice from the community on whether his current savings, which are a mix of Indian and US-based investments, will be sufficient for his post-retirement life in India.
He has also acknowledged that he will need to rent a home upon his return, adding another layer of financial uncertainty.
‘Ageism and AI are huge issues’
Netizens reacted to NRI’s post. A user noted, “,There is ageism and changes aka AI. Looks like you don’t have visa issues or you haven’t mentioned it. I personally believe US has lesser impact on ageism than India as there are laws against it (agreed it still happens) and unless you plan to retire in India opportunities here are probably better. Again time will tell .”
“Landing a job @ 50 in India is the biggest challenge. It’s a challenge even in USA,” noted a netizen. “Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, long commute times and workplace politics are huge problems. Politics is there in the US as well, may be a bit less than in India. Sure, I will dm you, Thank you,” added another.
“Plenty of rentals available around 1000$ in nice areas. Put your kid in an international school for easier transition and if you have the intention sending the kid back to US for undergraduate study,” wrote a user.
“I am aged about 38 and started working in Silicon Valley in 2010… I have a son who was born in 2020. We decided to move back to India in 2021, as we thought of being closer to family and thought our kid would grow up with his cousins… I got a job for the same company in Bangalore and moved internally … started working there in 2021 and worked for almost 3 years until September 2024… There is a day-and-night difference between the overall work culture… I tried my best to push myself to adjust to the system, but ultimately I gave up… I couldn’t take the extreme politics, lethargy in moving things, favouritism, long commute timings, etc. So I decided to move back to the US to work for a different company. You can DM me if you would like more details, and I am open to chat… I highly recommend reconsidering your decision and trying to push it until they ask you to leave, literally… Even if you try and adjust, your kid might not… my 2 cents,” explained a user.
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