New Delhi, December 2, 2025 :
Approvals for H-1B visas issued to major Indian IT companies plunged nearly 70% in FY 2025, dropping to just 4,573 initial employment approvals, according to USCIS data released December 2, 2025. The steep decline reflects heightened U.S. immigration scrutiny under the incoming Trump administration and stricter compliance audits targeting outsourcing-heavy firms.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) secured the highest number of approvals at 1,200, followed by Infosys (892) and Wipro (745). A decade ago, leading Indian IT firms collectively received more than 15,000 H-1Bs, but rising wage mandates, tighter adjudication standards, and “America First” policies have steadily reduced approvals.
The policy change also imposes penalties of up to $50,000 for non-compliance with wage rules, job descriptions, and client-site documentation.
NASSCOM, led by President Debjani Ghosh, urged India and the U.S. to intensify bilateral engagement to restore predictability for skilled-worker mobility.
The decline comes alongside a record 1.1 million Indian students enrolled in U.S. institutions, per Open Doors 2025, although new enrollments fell 7.2%, highlighting potential long-term impacts on the talent pipeline.
Despite reduced H-1B approvals, Indian IT firms reported a 12% rise in domestic hiring, driven by demand in cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity sectors.
