H-1B petitions by Indian firms drop 37% as US tech giants dominate new visa approvals
This marks the first time four American tech companies have occupied the top four positions for H-1B approvals
- Nov 19, 2025,
- Updated Nov 19, 2025 9:37 AM IST
Indian companies sharply reduced their use of H-1B visas for new employment in FY 2025, with petitions dropping 37% from last year, according to newly released U.S. government data cited by Bloomberg. Experts said the fall reflects a shift toward hiring more U.S. workers, rapid technological changes, and an increased ability to execute projects remotely from India.
The decline is even sharper when viewed over a longer period; the top seven Indian firms have seen a 70% drop in H-1B filings over the last decade. In FY 2025, they secured only 4,573 initial employment approvals.
U.S. technology giants now dominate H-1B usage. Amazon led all employers with 4,644 initial approvals, followed by Meta (1,555), Microsoft (1,394), and Google (1,050), according to an NFAP analysis of USCIS data. Apple took the sixth spot. This marks the first time four American tech companies have occupied the top four positions.
Indian IT firms have largely slipped from the top tier. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) held fifth place overall, but LTIMindtree (20th) and HCL America (21st) barely made it into the top 25. Analysts attributed the decline to structural shifts within the industry as firms rely more on onshore employees and remote execution models.
The report notes that the figures reflect the period before the Trump administration’s new immigration restrictions came into force — including a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B entrant, a rule that is expected to further reshape employer behaviour.
Despite popular belief, federal data shows H-1B workers are not locked to their employers. In FY 2025, more than 68,000 petitions were approved for workers changing companies.
Where the most H-1Bs went
California topped the list for H-1B approvals with 21,559 petitions for initial employment, followed by Texas (12,613), New York (11,436), New Jersey (7,729), and Virginia (7,579).
New York City recorded the highest number of new approvals (7,811), with Arlington, Chicago, San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco also among the leading destinations.
Approvals were concentrated in sectors such as professional and technical services, education, manufacturing, information, healthcare, and finance.
Indian companies sharply reduced their use of H-1B visas for new employment in FY 2025, with petitions dropping 37% from last year, according to newly released U.S. government data cited by Bloomberg. Experts said the fall reflects a shift toward hiring more U.S. workers, rapid technological changes, and an increased ability to execute projects remotely from India.
The decline is even sharper when viewed over a longer period; the top seven Indian firms have seen a 70% drop in H-1B filings over the last decade. In FY 2025, they secured only 4,573 initial employment approvals.
U.S. technology giants now dominate H-1B usage. Amazon led all employers with 4,644 initial approvals, followed by Meta (1,555), Microsoft (1,394), and Google (1,050), according to an NFAP analysis of USCIS data. Apple took the sixth spot. This marks the first time four American tech companies have occupied the top four positions.
Indian IT firms have largely slipped from the top tier. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) held fifth place overall, but LTIMindtree (20th) and HCL America (21st) barely made it into the top 25. Analysts attributed the decline to structural shifts within the industry as firms rely more on onshore employees and remote execution models.
The report notes that the figures reflect the period before the Trump administration’s new immigration restrictions came into force — including a $100,000 fee for each new H-1B entrant, a rule that is expected to further reshape employer behaviour.
Despite popular belief, federal data shows H-1B workers are not locked to their employers. In FY 2025, more than 68,000 petitions were approved for workers changing companies.
Where the most H-1Bs went
California topped the list for H-1B approvals with 21,559 petitions for initial employment, followed by Texas (12,613), New York (11,436), New Jersey (7,729), and Virginia (7,579).
New York City recorded the highest number of new approvals (7,811), with Arlington, Chicago, San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco also among the leading destinations.
Approvals were concentrated in sectors such as professional and technical services, education, manufacturing, information, healthcare, and finance.