An Indian man living in the US has sparked an online conversation after challenging the claim that Indian immigrants take jobs away from Americans. He pointed to the hurdles immigrants often face while building careers abroad, including visa restrictions, cultural differences, language barriers, and not having an established professional network. In an Instagram video, Yuvaan Ibanez Garware argued that Indians who move abroad often have to start from scratch and work hard to establish themselves. He said their professional success should not automatically be viewed as taking opportunities away from others.
"Indians come here and steal our jobs. " Bro, if someone can move across the world to a country where no one speaks their native language, has zero connections, is on a visa, and within a few months takes their job, you did not deserve that job. And what jobs are we talking about, by the way?" Garware said.
He then pointed to highly skilled professions such as medicine, software engineering and data analysis, where immigrants typically spend years studying and developing specialised expertise. "Doctors? Software engineers? Data analysts? "They didn't steal those; they spent five years in IIT Kharagpur while you were getting blacked out drunk at parties," he added.
He also highlighted jobs with difficult or unconventional hours, including driving for ride-hailing services early in the morning or working at gas stations late at night – roles that many people may be reluctant to take up.
He argued that immigrants often accept such work because they are willing to adapt, work long hours and do whatever is necessary to build a life in a new country.
Garware also challenged the stereotype that Indians are lazy, saying their ability to adjust to unfamiliar cultures, work environments and circumstances is one of their biggest strengths. "So to call Indians lazy while outworking you is crazy. So as an Indian guy who lives in the U.S. himself, we are probably one of the most adaptable species on the planet, and that's something to be proud of," he said.
Watch the video here:
His comments have since sparked a wider discussion on social media, with several users agreeing that immigrants often face unique challenges when starting over in another country. Many also supported his broader point that hard work and adaptability should not automatically be framed as taking opportunities away from others.
One user wrote, "Exactly! People blame others when they themselves are usually incapable of accomplishing what others are."
Another commented, "Survival of the fittest." A third said, "I hustle 16 hours a day, pay American taxes, hire American talent, and build a business from zero with no handouts. That's not taking. That's adding to the country."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
