Here's how Indians benefitted from US H-1B visa programme — and what lies ahead

For over a decade, Indians have been the largest beneficiaries of the United States’ H-1B visa program — a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, especially in tech, engineering, healthcare, and finance.

Data from the US government shows that Indians consistently account for over 70 per cent of all approved H-1B petitions each year since 2015 — a trend that has firmly established India as the single largest source of skilled talent to the US workforce. In comparison, the next highest contributor, China, has hovered around just 12–13 per cent of approvals in recent years.

Between October 2022 and September 2023, Indian nationals made up 72 per cent of the nearly 400,000 H-1B visa petition approvals, underscoring the country's unmatched footprint in the US skilled labor ecosystem.

Role of Indian IT giants

Indian IT companies have been major drivers of this trend. In fiscal year 2024, top Indian IT firms — Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HCLTech, and Wipro — collectively secured approvals for around 20,000 employees to work in the U.S. on H-1B visas.

Remarkably, these companies received more H-1B petition approvals than major American tech firms. For instance:

• Infosys: 8,137 approvals

• TCS: 7,566

• HCLTech (subsidiary): 2,952

• LTIMindtree: 2,136

• Wipro: 1,636

• Tech Mahindra (subsidiary): 1,199

Compare that to US tech giants:

• Google: 5,364

• Meta: 4,440

• Microsoft: 4,725

• Apple: 3,873

These figures highlight how Indian companies continue to be dominant players in supplying talent for America's IT industry.

Winds of change

While Indian professionals have long seen the H-1B as a pathway to global careers, recent U.S. policy moves could affect future access. Amid discussions of increasing H-1B application costs and tightening regulations, there’s growing uncertainty among Indian workers and students in the U.S.

However, Indian officials see a potential upside. The Global Capability Centre (GCC) model — where multinational firms set up service hubs in India — is gaining momentum. A senior Indian government official noted that curbs on the H-1B visa could push American companies to expand operations in India, citing the country’s vast talent pool of engineers and tech professionals.

“We see that as a silver lining... there are simply not enough skilled American workers that can replace Indians currently working in the country,” said the official.

Impact on Indian professionals

For many Indian students and professionals, the changing H-1B landscape presents tough choices.

Mid-senior level professionals might also face challenges reintegrating into the Indian job market. A senior industry executive warned that Indian companies may struggle to offer comparable roles and salaries, and may even replace current domestic staff with returnees who have U.S. experience.

While IT grabs headlines, the U.S. healthcare sector is another major area reliant on the H-1B program — particularly for nurses and doctors in underserved areas. Restrictions could create critical shortages in this sector, compounding labor challenges in rural and inner-city communities.

What’s Next?

The recent executive order altering H-1B costs and policies has sparked fears of disruption — but also hopes of opportunity. Legal challenges may follow, and with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal expected to visit the U.S. for trade talks, visa issues may rise to the top of the bilateral agenda.

Currently, the U.S. government charges:

• $215 for H-1B visa lottery registration

• $780 (or more) for sponsoring employers

• Total costs can exceed $1,500 per visa

Some reports suggest a new proposal could raise employer costs to up to $100,000 per visa, a move that may drastically change hiring patterns.

The H-1B visa program has played a transformative role in the U.S.-India relationship — fostering economic exchange, talent mobility, and innovation. While Indians have undoubtedly benefitted the most from the program, recent policy shifts are creating both uncertainty and new strategic opportunities. As the world’s largest democracy and the world’s largest economy continue to engage, the future of skilled mobility may depend not just on visas — but on how both countries adapt to new global realities.