Andrew Ng arrived in the United States as a teenager on an F-1 student visa—describing himself as "unskilled and clueless"—and went on to become one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence. His journey from international student to AI pioneer exemplifies both the extraordinary opportunities America offers and the systemic immigration challenges that high-skilled talent continues to face. Today, with 55% of billion-dollar startups having an immigrant founder, Ng's story serves as a blueprint for understanding how immigration policy shapes technological innovation.
Born in London in 1976 to parents who had immigrated from Hong Kong, Andrew Ng spent his formative years in Hong Kong and Singapore before coming to the United States. His multicultural upbringing would later inform his approach to making AI education accessible globally.
In 1993, Ng enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University on an F-1 student visa. He completed a triple major in computer science, statistics, and economics—an ambitious course load that foreshadowed his interdisciplinary approach to machine learning. His academic trajectory continued with:
This educational pathway—F-1 to OPT to H-1B—remains a common route for international students seeking careers in the United States, though each transition carries its own complexities.
Ng's contributions to AI extend far beyond academic research. His industry achievements include:
Each career move required careful immigration planning. As Ng has noted, the uncertainty around immigration status affects major life and career decisions, from accepting job offers to starting companies.
Andrew Ng's immigration journey illustrates a pathway that thousands of STEM professionals attempt to follow each year. Here's what that timeline typically involves:
For Ng, this process spanned many years. For others from countries with heavy backlogs, the wait can extend even longer.
In interviews, Ng has spoken candidly about the human toll of immigration uncertainty. "Who knows if policy will make all that waiting pointless?" he has asked, articulating a concern shared by millions of immigrants navigating the system.
Jyoti Bansal, founder of enterprise software company Harness, has said he waited eight years for his green card before he could start his own business—a delay that illustrates how immigration restrictions can throttle entrepreneurship.
The data on immigrant entrepreneurship is striking. According to research compiled by the Bipartisan Policy Center, immigrants demonstrate extraordinary entrepreneurial activity:
In the AI sector specifically, the concentration of immigrant talent is even more pronounced. Many leading AI researchers in the United States were born abroad, making immigration policy inseparable from AI competitiveness.
The National Security Commission on AI has reframed high-skilled immigration as a strategic advantage rather than merely an economic issue. Key findings include:
Former Undersecretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy has argued that the AI talent shortage represents a national security vulnerability that immigration policy could help address.
As of December 2025, several bills have been proposed in the 119th Congress that could significantly reshape immigration pathways for high-skilled workers, though these remain under consideration and have not been enacted. The immigration environment for high-skilled workers faces potential changes from proposed legislation:
These proposed changes make expert legal guidance more critical than ever for individuals and businesses managing immigration matters.
The stakes for AI researchers are particularly high. A significant portion of approved H-1B petitions go to the professional, scientific, and technical services sector—where AI talent is concentrated. Proposed changes to OPT would affect the pipeline of international students who currently train at U.S. universities and often remain to work.
Andrew Ng has noted that a large majority of attendees at AI developer conferences are immigrants. Restrictions that reduce this talent pool could shift AI development to other countries.
Ng has been vocal about immigration policy, framing it as both a strategic necessity and a moral obligation:
"Immigration is an important business and strategic issue for the US, but it's also a very human issue for millions of families. There's an obligation for us to make smart decisions from a business and strategic perspective, but also to treat people with kindness."
This perspective—balancing economic arguments with human dignity—characterizes his public advocacy. He emphasizes that:
For those following a path similar to Andrew Ng's, several visa categories deserve consideration:
The O-1A visa recognizes individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, business, or athletics. Qualifying criteria include:
For AI researchers with published work, patents, or industry recognition, this category offers an alternative to H-1B lottery uncertainty.
The EB-1A green card category shares criteria with O-1A but leads to permanent residency without employer sponsorship. The EB-2 NIW allows applicants to self-petition by demonstrating their work benefits the United States.
AI researchers increasingly qualify for these categories due to:
Entrepreneurs face particular challenges, as H-1B status requires an employer-employee relationship. Options include:
Alma's startup services provide specialized support for founders working through these complex scenarios.
Andrew Ng's journey unfolded over many years, through multiple visa categories, during periods of relative policy stability. Today's environment presents additional complexity:
Alma combines attorney expertise with technology-enabled efficiency, offering:
Whether you're an international student planning your first OPT application or an established researcher pursuing permanent residency, personalized legal guidance can help you build your American dream with confidence.
Andrew Ng entered the United States on an F-1 student visa in 1993 to attend Carnegie Mellon University. After completing his PhD at UC Berkeley in the early 2000s, he transitioned through Optional Practical Training (OPT) and later H-1B status while working at Stanford University. He eventually obtained long-term U.S. work authorization, a journey that spanned many years.
The H-1B visa has an annual cap of 85,000 visas—65,000 for regular applicants plus 20,000 additional slots for those with U.S. master's degrees or higher. When applications exceed available slots, USCIS conducts a random lottery. If not selected, applicants can maintain their current status (such as OPT) if eligible, seek alternative visa categories like O-1A for extraordinary ability, or have their employer resubmit in subsequent years.
H-1B status requires a valid employer-employee relationship, which creates significant complications for entrepreneurship. While it's technically possible to start a company on H-1B if proper corporate governance structures exist, most attorneys advise waiting for green card approval. Alternative options include the O-1A visa (which can work with a properly structured startup) or the E-2 treaty investor visa for nationals of qualifying countries.
STEM OPT provides an additional 24-month work authorization extension (beyond the standard 12 months) for graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Proposed legislation such as the American Tech Workforce Act (S. 2821) would eliminate OPT entirely if enacted, which could significantly disrupt the pipeline of international STEM talent currently training at U.S. universities. However, this bill remains under consideration and has not been passed.
Per-country caps on employment-based green cards create vastly different wait times depending on nationality. For Indian and Chinese nationals in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories, current backlogs can extend multiple decades. Andrew Ng has described these waits as "many, many decades" long, noting the profound uncertainty this creates for family planning, career decisions, and life choices.
AI researchers with strong credentials may qualify for the O-1A visa, which has no annual cap and recognizes extraordinary ability through criteria such as major awards, significant publications, original contributions to the field, and high compensation. For permanent residency, the EB-1A category allows self-petitioning without employer sponsorship for those meeting extraordinary ability standards, while the EB-2 NIW offers another self-petition option for researchers whose work demonstrably benefits the United States.
