New H-1BS Crash to Decade Low: Amazon & Google Now Rule the Visa Race
Indian IT firms get only 4,573 fresh visas (the lowest in 10 years), while the US companies surge ahead because…
Indian IT companies are taking a hit on H-1B visas. The companies are getting far fewer fresh H-1B visas than before. It has fallen to just 4,573, the lowest in the last 10 years. Notably, US companies now prefer to retain existing workers rather than bring in new employees from India. On the other hand, US tech giants like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google dominate new H-1B approvals. So, what does this drop mean to Indian IT companies? Who is getting the most new H-1B approvals now? What are rejection rates looking like in 2025? For all that, learn more.
Which Indian Company Is Still in the Top List?
This time around, only Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) made it into the top five US employers of H-1B workers.
The numbers look like:
- New H-1B approvals (initial employment) in FY 2025: 846.
(Earlier, it was 1,452 in 2024 and 1,174 in 2023, so it's a big drop.)
- Continuing-employment approvals (renewals/extension): Only 5,293.
- The extension rejection rate stands at 7% in 2025 (up from 4% in 2024).
- The overall rejection rate for continuing employment is low at 1.9%.
Therefore, TCS may be getting fewer new visas but doing pretty well with the renewals.
How Big Is the Drop in H-1B Visas?
According to the data from NFAP (National Foundation for American Policy), the drop rates look like:
- Compared to 2015, new approvals are down 70%.
- Compared to 2024, new approvals are down 37%.
This means that Indian ITs are getting fewer fresh H-1B visas than before.
Rejection Rates (Initial Employment) for 2025
TCS: 2% (can consider this very low)
- HCL America: 6%
- LTIMindtree: 5%
- Capgemini: 4%
Therefore, the problem isn't the extensions, it's the new visas.
How Many Indian Companies Made It to the Top 25 for New H-1B Visas?
Apparently, only three Indian companies, compared to a vast list of Indian IT giants earlier (before the new H-1B visa restrictions).
The rejection rates for renewals (continuing employment) are very low at the moment for most Indian companies.
- Infosys: 1–2%
- Wipro: 1–2%
- LTIMindtree: 1–2%
However, for FY 2025, there was a large increase in rejections for initial employment (new hires).
Who Is Getting the Most New H-1B Approvals Now?
For the first time in history, these four companies are dominating the new approvals:
- Amazon
- Meta
- Microsoft
Therefore, the visa environment is seemingly shifting away from Indian outsourcing firms and towards big US tech companies.
Adepu Bindu
Must have tools for startups - Recommended by StartupTalky
- Convert Visitors into Leads- SeizeLead
- Website Builder SquareSpace
- Manage your business Smoothly Google Business Suite
