# 82% of Founders Maintain US Expansion Plans Despite Immigration Uncertainty, Beyond Border Survey Finds

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/82-of-founders-maintain-us-expansion-plans-despite-immigration-uncertainty-beyond-border-survey-finds
- Published: 2026-10-29T09:00:00+07:00
- Author: Media OutReach

#### _Founders are pressing ahead with US expansion despite immigration uncertainty, according to new research from Beyond Border. Its Founder Mobility Pulse survey found that 82% have not changed their plans to expand to the US, while an analysis of 1,140 immigration inquiries from Asia offers insights into the region’s role in US market entry. _

SINGAPORE & HONG KONG SAR – [Media OutReach Newswire](https://www.media-outreach.com/)–
29 October 2026 – Despite continued uncertainty surrounding US immigration policies,
founders remain committed to expanding into the American market, according to new
research from US immigration platform Beyond Border.

 Beyond Border’s Founder Mobility Pulse survey, conducted in August 2026 among 307
respondents worldwide, found that 82% had not changed their US expansion plans despite
immigration uncertainty. A further 11% reported either accelerating their timelines
or exploring alternative visa pathways.

 The findings form part of Beyond Border’s October 2026 market commentary, which
also draws on proprietary analysis of 1,140 US immigration enquiries from Asia-based
individuals between August 2025 and September 2026, alongside US government immigration
statistics and regional talent mobility data.

 The research suggests that while immigration uncertainty is influencing how founders
approach US market entry, access to the American market remains an important commercial
priority.

 “For founders, the question is no longer simply whether to expand into the US, 
but how to establish the right presence there. We’re seeing businesses pursue access
to American customers while keeping key functions in their home markets. Immigration
planning needs to be part of that strategy from the outset, rather than something
founders address only when they’re ready to relocate,” said Fred Ng, Cofounder &
CEO of Beyond Border.

 **Four Findings on US Expansion and Immigration Trends**

 Beyond Border’s research highlights four developments shaping US expansion and 
international talent mobility:

 1. Access to US customers remains the biggest expansion driver: Some 85% of survey
respondents identified access to US customers as their primary motivation for expansion,
compared with 8% citing fundraising and investors. Meanwhile, 60% plan to expand
into the US within the next 12 months.

 2. Founders are taking a more distributed approach to US expansion: Nearly two-
thirds (64%) expect to establish a US presence through the founder alone or alongside
a small team. At the same time, 72% intend to retain engineering and product functions
in Asia, suggesting that US market entry does not necessarily require relocating
entire operations.

 3. Immigration uncertainty is not deterring founders’ US expansion plans: Beyond
Border’s analysis of 1,140 immigration enquiries from Asia-based individuals found
that approximately 45% (510) concerned the O-1 visa. Meanwhile, US government data
shows diverging approval trends across immigration pathways. Between FY2022 and 
FY2024, approved L-1 petitions declined by 31%, while O-1/O-2 approvals increased
slightly by 1%. Over a separate period, FY2023 to FY2025, EB-1A approvals increased
by 20%, while EB-2 NIW approvals declined by 39%. These figures reflect changes 
in approval volumes rather than approval rates.

 4. Changing talent mobility patterns could create opportunities for Asian economies:
Estimates from Xpheno indicate that the number of US-based technology professionals
returning to India increased from approximately 7,200 in 2023 to 15,100 in 2025.
While these movements cannot be attributed solely to immigration policies, they 
point to broader shifts in international technology talent mobility.

 As founders navigate an evolving immigration environment, Beyond Border’s research
highlights the importance of aligning immigration decisions with commercial priorities,
market entry strategies and long-term business plans.

 For the full market commentary, visit [https://lp.beyondborderglobal.com/organic/us-expansion-report-2026](https://lp.beyondborderglobal.com/organic/us-expansion-report-2026)

Hashtag: #beyondborder #tech #immigration

[https://www.beyondborderglobal.com/](https://www.beyondborderglobal.com/)
[https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondborder/?viewAsMember=true](https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyondborder/?viewAsMember=true)
[https://www.facebook.com/BeyondBorder01Visas](https://www.facebook.com/BeyondBorder01Visas)
[https://www.instagram.com/beyondborderglobal/](https://www.instagram.com/beyondborderglobal/)

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

#### Beyond Border

Built by founders for founders and highly skilled professionals, Beyond Border is
a trusted, Singapore-founded, tech-enabled U.S. immigration platform. Launched in
2024, the company helps clients pursue U.S. visas and employment-based green cards,
with a focus on O-1 visas and EB-1A and EB-2 NIW green-card pathways. Beyond Border
supports clients from eligibility assessment through petition preparation, connecting
them with vetted specialist immigration attorneys. Beyond Border has supported thousands
of founders including from companies backed by Y Combinator, Techstars, Antler and
500 Global, as well as cross-border technology companies including SuperOps and 
Biorce. Beyond Border has nine offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore,
Hong Kong, India, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Nigeria. For more information,
visit [www.beyondborderglobal.com](http://www.beyondborderglobal.com)

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**Source** : [82% of Founders Maintain US Expansion Plans Despite Immigration Uncertainty, Beyond Border Survey Finds](https://www.media-outreach.com/news/singapore/2026/10/29/497653/?rand=186006)

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