Number of H-1B Visas Approved for Indian Companies Plunges

By Billal Rahman

Immigration Reporter

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The number of H-1B visas approved for Indian-based companies has plummeted, according to a National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis of government data.

Only three Indian companies appeared among the top 25 employers with approved H-1B petitions for initial employment in fiscal year 2025, per the report.

Why It Matters

H-1B visas have received renewed focus as debates over highly skilled immigration, workforce shortages and U.S. competitiveness have become salient issues amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

The president has defended the use of highly skilled foreign workers, arguing that the United States does not have enough domestic talent to meet the needs of key industries. His stance has put him at odds with vocal figures in the Make America Great Again movement who view H-1B visas as harmful to U.S. workers and a betrayal of Trump's "America First" immigration pledges.

Critics from his political base argue that foreign labor takes jobs from Americans, while Trump faces the challenge of ensuring that U.S. industries—particularly technology, finance and research—remain competitive by allowing global talent to fill specialized roles.

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What To Know

The NFAP report found that the top seven Indian-based companies had a total of 4,573 H-1B petitions approved for initial employment in fiscal year 2025. This represents a 70 percent decrease from FY 2015 and a 37 percent decline from FY 2024.

H-1B petitions for initial employment are primarily for new hires and are counted against the annual limit of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 exemptions for individuals holding master's degrees or higher from U.S. universities.

The NFAP analysis draws on data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' H-1B Employer Data Hub. Technology giants such as Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Google dominate the top spots for initial employment approvals.

The decline in approvals for Indian-based companies indicates the changing dynamics of the H-1B program and the increasing dominance of U.S. technology firms in sponsoring new high-skilled foreign workers.

In FY 2025, 28,277 employers were approved to hire at least one new H-1B worker. Most employers hire only a few H-1B workers: 61 percent were approved for a single petition, 95 percent for 10 or fewer, and over half of all new H-1B approvals went to companies with 15 or fewer new hires. Overall, 72 percent of new approvals went to employers with 100 or fewer petitions.

Transfers between employers are common, according to the report. In FY 2025, 68,167 petitions were approved for individuals changing jobs.

Denial rates for H-1B petitions remain relatively low. For initial employment, the denial rate was 2.8 percent in FY 2025, up slightly from 2.5 percent in FY 2024 but lower than 3.5 percent in FY 2023. By comparison, denial rates were significantly higher during the first Trump administration, reaching 24 percent for initial employment in FY 2018.

H-1B visas remain a critical pathway for high-skilled foreign nationals, including international students, to work in the United States. Without H-1B status, many of these professionals might pursue opportunities in other countries, affecting both U.S. companies and the global tech labor market.

The Trump administration has proposed a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions, raising concern among employers. While exceptions exist and renewals are generally unaffected, the policy has faced legal challenges from groups—including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—that argue the fee is unlawful and could undermine U.S. competitiveness.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, has introduced a bill to phase out the H-1B visa program, calling it a step to "END the mass replacement of American workers." The move highlights a growing split within the Republican Party over immigration and U.S. labor policy, raising questions about the future of the workforce and U.S. competitiveness in technology and research sectors.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump said at the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Investment Forum in Washington, D.C, on November 19: "People have to be taught this is something they've never done. But we're not going to be successful if we don't allow people that invest billions of dollars in plants and equipment to bring a lot of their people from their country to get that plant open, operating and working. I'm sorry."

Amanda Brill, the founder and managing partner at Brill Immigration, told Newsweek: "Many immigrants are performing skilled work that many Americans have not been trained to perform yet."

Savanah Hernandez, a MAGA influencer and contributor to the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, wrote on X: "Trump needs to get out of his bubble and back on the ground listening to the American people who elected him to work for us. His H-1B comment shows how out of touch with the base he has become. Disheartening."

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X: "Big Tech, AI giants, hospitals, and industries across the board have abused the H-1B system to cut out our own people."

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