What It Means: A Forrester Podcast H-1B Visa Changes, Agentic Commerce, Optimizing Customer Reviews
Oct 2, 2025
Discover the latest shifts in the tech landscape, including a hefty new fee for H-1B visas and its potential impact on U.S. jobs. Explore the concept of agentic commerce, where AI makes purchases on consumers' behalf, and learn how Google's ecosystem supports this new trend. Delve into the evolving role of customer reviews in B2B buying, with insights on optimizing them for AI search. This discussion spans labor markets, innovative payment systems, and the future of commerce in an AI-driven world.
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H-1B Fee Spike Closes Talent Pipeline
- The H-1B fee increase effectively shuts the primary pipeline for bringing foreign tech talent to the U.S. at scale.
- Ashutosh Sharma warns this will force firms to seek alternate talent channels or offshore work to meet demand.
Large Firms Face Massive New Costs
- Over half a million workers rely on H-1B visas, and big tech firms used tens of thousands of spots.
- Ashutosh Sharma notes companies like Amazon would face roughly a $1B cost if they maintained 2025 visa usage at new fees.
Wage Divergence Between US And Source Markets
- Expect a 2–3% short-term wage rise for U.S. tech talent as supply tightens domestically.
- Simultaneously, source markets like India may see wage pressure downward, shifting hiring strategies offshore.