Infosys, the largest Indian IT services firm, announced a dramatic cut in its FY2027 H‑1B registrations, dropping from 8,886 to 759. Its rival Tata Consultancy Services fell even further, slashing its filings from 5,955 to 284. HCL America, Tech Mahindra and Wipro also reported declines ranging between 85 % and 96 %.
In September 2025, Washington added a $100,000 fee to new H‑1B petitions for overseas hires, a cost that companies argue makes the visa route prohibitively expensive. The order was extended to September 2027, amid ongoing legal challenges.
On September 18, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order tightening scrutiny of H‑1B applications from firms that recently laid off U.S. workers. The directive compels federal agencies—labor, homeland security and others—to coordinate closely when reviewing visa petitions, raising the approval bar.
Despite the policy shift, Indian professionals still dominate the program. USCIS data for FY2025 show Indians accounted for 69.9 % of all approved H‑1B beneficiaries, amounting to 2.83 lakh out of 4.06 lakh total. China remains second at 12.1 %.
The new regulatory climate has pushed firms toward domestic hiring. In response to higher visa costs and intensified oversight, many Indian IT giants are now recruiting talent within the United States, phasing out the traditional overseas transfer model.
The trend is expected to continue as the executive order remains in effect, and companies may seek court rulings to reshape the fee structure. Analysts predict a further decline in H‑1B filings over the next fiscal year.