Impact of Trump’s Immigration Policy: H-1B Visa Approvals for Indians Drop Sharply; Here’s What the Numbers Show

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): After the implementation of Donald Trump’s stricter immigration policies in the United States, H-1B visa approvals for Indians have dropped significantly. Within just one year, the approval rate has fallen by nearly 40%. According to USCIS data, H-1B visa approvals have declined by almost 70% since 2015, showing a sharp downward trend. Among India’s top five IT companies, TCS continues to have the highest number of employees receiving H-1B visas, but overall only about 4,500 visas were issued to Indian companies this year— the lowest in this decade.

TCS has also seen its rejection rate rise to 7%. In 2024, only 4% of its applications were rejected, but this year the number increased. A total of 5,293 TCS employees were allowed to continue working in the US, while only 846 employees from India received new H-1B visas. This number was much higher—1,452—in 2024.

Among the top Indian IT firms operating in the US, TCS ranks first with a 7% rejection rate. Infosys, HCL America, and LTI Mindtree all have a 1% rejection rate, while Wipro stands at 2%. On the other hand, global tech giants like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Google lead in securing H-1B visas.

Out of the top 25 companies filing H-1B petitions, only three are Indian firms. Except for TCS, other Indian companies have maintained lower rejection rates mainly because they are now submitting fewer applications. Commenting on the US visa policy, Elon Musk said that America has greatly benefited from Indian talent. He stated that Indian immigrants have significantly contributed to the country’s technological and innovation sectors, and many global companies today have leaders of Indian origin at the top.