By Raveena Kumari 
The US added just 73,000 jobs in July 2025, well below what analysts expected. And worse, earlier estimates for May and June were revised down by a combined 258,000. Together, these two factors have pushed the unemployment rate up to 4.2%.
Meanwhile, immigrants have taken the hardest hit. Possibly around 1.7 million jobs were lost in total for immigrant workers since January 2025, many of them Indian.
Since January 2025, the US has seen 735,000 fewer foreign-born workers in the labour market. That’s a huge number, and a strong sign that immigrant workers, many of them on student visas or H1Bs, are among the first hit.
Analysts now say the country needs to create just 50,000-70,000 jobs a month to keep unemployment steady. That is far lower than the boom years and not great news for anyone finishing a degree and hoping to jump straight into the job market.
Moreover, the federal government has cut over 84,000 jobs since January, trimming departments and scaling back non-essential roles.
On top of that, earlier job data has been revised down sharply. This means the slowdown isn’t just about missed forecasts — it’s baked into the system now.
INDIAN GRADS BEAR THE BRUNT ACROSS INDUSTRIES
It’s not just about numbers on paper. For Indian MBAs, STEM graduates, or master’s students hoping for an H1B, the hiring pause is hitting home.
Major employers in finance, tech, and consulting have gone quiet. Hiring cycles have slowed, job postings have dropped, and even OPT-to-full-time transitions are facing delays.
In simple terms, Indian students abroad are now chasing fewer roles, with more applicants, under tighter visa caps. It’s a triple whammy.
Sectors like manufacturing, technology, and professional services — typically favoured by international grads — are shedding jobs or freezing hiring. Hiring is holding only in healthcare and social assistance.
For those finishing a master’s or MBA in the US — especially in tech, finance or data — landing a job has become tougher overnight. Unemployment among degree holders aged 22-27 hit the highest level in over a decade, now 5.8%, much higher than the overall rate.
Tuition budgets bubble under hiring caution. Fewer openings at tech or consulting firms mean Indian graduates face longer wait times or thin odds.