H-1B visa cap for 2025 reached: What applicants should look out for now

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has hit the limit on H-1B visa petitions for the financial year 2025, including 65,000 visas for regular applicants and an additional 20,000 reserved for US advanced degree holders, also known as the master’s cap.

 

USCIS will notify applicants about their selection status through their online accounts. "Those not selected will see the status "Not Selected: Not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration" after all notifications are sent," USCIS said in a statement on Monday.

 

The deadline for submitting H-1B petitions based on valid registration notices was June 30, 2024. Since the date fell on a Sunday, USCIS confirmed that paper petitions received by July 1, 2024 would still be considered timely.

 

The initial registration period for FY 2025 opened on March 6, 2024 and was extended until March 25, 2024.

 

The H-1B visa programme

 

The H-1B visa program allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialised occupations that require theoretical and practical expertise. Applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree in streams like engineering, medicine, social sciences, and more.

 

Recent declines in approvals

 

Recent data from the USCIS shows a decline in H-1B sponsorships among leading employers in 2024. Amazon remained the top sponsor but saw approvals fall to just over 7,000, down from more than 11,000 in 2023. Indian IT companies Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) also reported fewer approvals, with Infosys dropping from over 7,300 to about 5,900 and TCS seeing 1,600 fewer approvals.

 

Meta, on the other hand, recorded an increase of 400 approvals, reportedly driven by its focus on virtual and augmented reality technologies.

 

Ajay Sharma, founder of Abhinav Immigration Services, ties the reduction to global economic conditions and advances in artificial intelligence. “The global recession and AI are reshaping business models, reducing the need for redundant positions,” he said.

 

Piyush Gupta, vice president for India and the Middle East at CanAm Enterprises, said, “The decrease in H-1B sponsorships isn’t just about tech layoffs or rationalisation. Many firms are hesitant to engage with the unpredictable lottery process. This uncertainty impacts internship and hiring opportunities for foreign students, even at prestigious US universities,” Gupta explained.

 

He added that affluent individuals are exploring other routes, like the EB-5 programme, which offers a pathway to US residency through investment. “Families are choosing options that provide stability for their children studying or working in the US,” he said.

 

Indian nationals have historically been the largest recipients of H-1B visas. In 2023, they accounted for 72.3% of the 386,000 visas issued, compared to 11.7% for Chinese nationals, the second-largest group.