The number of first-time H-1B visas approved for major Indian IT companies has fallen sharply to only 4,573, the lowest level in a decade. This marks a 70% drop compared to 2015 and a 37% fall from last year (2024). According to data from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), based on the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, new H-1B approvals for top Indian IT service companies have declined drastically Among these firms, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was the only Indian company in the top five US employers of H-1B workers, and it secured the highest number of approvals among Indian IT firms. In FY 2025, TCS received 846 approvals for new H-1B jobs, compared to 1,452 in 2024 and 1,174 in 2023. On the other hand, the company received 5,293 approvals for continuing employment, which are essentially visa extensions for existing workers.
However, TCS saw its rejection rate for extension applications rise to 7%, up from 4% in 2024. Still, the overall company-wide rejection rate for continuing employment remained low at 1.9%. The steep drop in first-time H-1B approvals and the rise in rejections show a major shift in how US companies hire tech workers from overseas. The survey found that employers are now prioritising retaining existing workers in the US instead of hiring new talent from abroad. For the first time, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google occupy the top four spots for new H-1B approvals. This highlights a bigger change in the visa system, which is now shifting from Indian outsourcing firms to large American tech companies. Most H-1B filings across industries continue to be for existing employees, and major IT service companies still maintain relatively low rejection rates. Among the top 25 employers for new H-1B visas, only three Indian companies are included. Infosys, Wipro, and LTIMindtree reported rejection rates of 1% to 2% for continuing employment petitions. But FY 2025 saw a significant increase in rejections for first-time H-1B applications.
