‘100 H-1B workers helped build AWS’: Ex-Amazon employee criticises US green-card curbs

Shobhit Mathur, co-founder and vice-chancellor of Rishihood University, has defended the contribution of skilled foreign workers to the US technology industry, recalling his experience of joining Amazon on an H-1B visa when the company was still making losses. In a post on X, Mathur said he was part of the initial team that built Amazon Web Services (AWS), adding that approximately 100 H-1B visa holders were involved in Amazon’s early team. His account comes amid renewed debate over skilled immigration after the US administration announced restrictions on green-card sponsorship processing for several technology companies.Ex-employee shares Amazon’s journey: From makeshift desks to a technology giantMathur recalled that Amazon was operating from a rented building when he joined, with employees working at makeshift desks made from doors inside small cabins. He said the company was making losses at the time and that around 100 H-1B visa holders were part of its initial team. According to Mathur, these professionals contributed their hard work and expertise to building the foundations of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which has since grown into one of the company’s most significant sources...