H-1B visa use by Indian companies has fallen sharply in FY 2025, marking one of the steepest declines in a decade. According to new US government data analyzed by Bloomberg, Indian firms filed 37% fewer petitions for new H-1B workers than last year. When compared with figures from ten years ago, the fall is even more dramatic—a nearly 70% collapse in new petitions from the seven largest Indian IT companies.
Analysts say several factors are driving this downturn. Indian tech firms are hiring more US-based workers, shifting more project work outside the United States, and adopting technologies that reduce the need for sending employees abroad. As a result, reliance on fresh H-1B workers has diminished considerably.
In stark contrast, US tech giants have surged to the top of the list. Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google dominated FY 2025 H-1B approvals, taking the top four spots for new petitions—an unprecedented outcome. Amazon alone secured 4,644 approvals for initial employment, far surpassing any other employer. Apple also ranked among the top sponsors, coming in at number six.
The shift highlights how Indian IT firms have largely fallen out of the upper tier of H-1B sponsors. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) remained the only major Indian player in the top five, while LTIMindtree and HCL America barely stayed within the top 25. Overall, only 4,573 new H-1B petitions were approved for the seven biggest Indian firms—a fraction of their totals from a decade ago.
These trends emerged before the Trump administration’s latest hard-line immigration measures took effect. One change in particular—a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B entrant—is expected to further reshape employer behaviour in the coming years.
Data also dispels a common misconception: H-1B workers are not “locked” to a single employer. Federal numbers show more than 68,000 H-1B employees switched companies in FY 2025, proving significant mobility within the programme.
Regionally, California led all states in initial H-1B approvals with 21,559 petitions, followed by Texas, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. At the city level, New York City topped the list with 7,811 approvals, while Arlington, Chicago, San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco also emerged as major hubs.
Across sectors, the strongest demand for new H-1B workers came from professional and technical services, education, manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, finance, and insurance—reflecting broad economic reliance on high-skilled talent.
