H-1B

The new thresholds are ultimately likely to shrink opportunities for young talent as employers balk at paying more

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday launched investigations into 30 businesses in the state on suspected fraud and abuse of the H-1B visa programme by operating "ghost offices". The companies under investigation include Tekpro IT LLC, Fame PBX LLC, 1st Ranking Technologies LLC, Qubitz Tech Systems LLC, Blooming Clouds LLC, Virat Solutions, Inc., Oak Technologies Inc, Techpath Inc, and Techquency LLC, a statement from the Texas Attorney General's office said. "Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued Civil Investigative Demands ("CIDs") to nearly 30 North Texas businesses as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected fraud and abuse of the H-1B visa programme," it said. The statement said these companies are suspected of engaging in fraudulent practices designed to exploit the H-1B visa programme. "Reports indicate that several of these entities have operated so-called "ghost offices" as a scheme in which businesses falsely represent active operations in order to sponso

A group of Republican lawmakers has introduced a bill in the US Congress for a three-year pause to the H1-B visa programme, contending that it has been hijacked to replace American workers with cheap foreign labour. Congressman Eli Crane from Arizona introduced the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which was co-sponsored by seven other Republican lawmakers. The bill proposes reforms to the H-1B programme that include reducing the annual cap from 65,000 to 25,000 with a minimum wage of USD 2,00,000 per year and disallowing H-1B visa holders from bringing dependents to the US. Congressmen Brian Babin, Brandon Gill, Wesley Hunt, Keith Self (all from Texas), Andy Ogles (Tennessee), Paul Gosar (Arizona) and Tom McClintock (California) have signed on as original cosponsors of the bill. The H-1B visa programme is used extensively by American technology companies to employ foreign workers. Indian professionals, including technology workers and physicians, form one of the largest groups of

Tightening US immigration policies and visa uncertainty are driving Indian professionals, including senior executives, to return home as job opportunities expand across India's fast-growing economy

The lawsuit challenges a recent DHS rule change, arguing it was imposed without due process and could force thousands of legally employed dependents to stop working amid visa renewal delays

Amid prolonged US H-1B visa delays, Amazon has allowed affected staff in India to work from home until March 2026, but strict restrictions on coding, decision-making and client work remain in place

US District Judge Beryl Howell said in a ruling Tuesday that President Donald Trump's move to radically increase the cost of the popular visa is lawful

States argue that the $100,000 H-1B fee exceeds presidential authority, could disrupt tech, healthcare, and education, and adds a costly barrier for employers hiring skilled foreign workers

Speaking on Nikhil Kamath's podcast, Elon Musk said that while the H-1B visa programme has supported innovation in the US, certain companies have taken advantage of it

Recently, Trump has defended the H-1B visa programme, stating he "loves his conservative friends and MAGA" but believes the United States needs skilled foreign workers

President Donald Trump's remarks recognising the importance of H-1B talent have renewed optimism among India's tech sector, though experts say the real impact depends on visa fee reforms

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday (local time) claimed that the H-1B system has been exploited, driving down American wages

Pune, India-based Tata Technologies does not disclose country-specific revenue or employee count, but North America accounted for roughly a fifth of its ₹5,168 crore revenue in 2024-25

The Trump administration last month slapped a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applications in a bid to overhaul the visa programme and curb overuse

Trump's order bars new H-1B recipients from entering the United States unless the employer sponsoring their visa has made an additional $100,000 payment

A US coalition of unions, employers and religious groups sued to block Trump's $100,000 annual H-1B visa fee announced last month, calling it unlawful and unfair to employers

Industry groups have warned the Trump administration that the $100,000 H-1B fee could block foreign skilled workers, affecting tech, healthcare, and other critical sectors across the US economy

US lawmakers have sought clarifications from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) regarding its continued filing of H-1B visa petitions, even as the company carries out layoffs of American tech workers

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said there will be a significant number of changes in the H1B visa process before February 2026, when the new fee of USD 100,000 goes into effect, as he described as just wrong the idea of inexpensive tech consultants coming into the country and bringing their families. The Trump administration this month announced a one-time fee of USD 100,000 for new H1B work visas, an order that will impact Indian professionals looking to work in the US on the temporary visas. Standing behind US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office when the H1B proclamation was signed, Lutnick had then said that the USD 100,000 will be an annual fee for all H1B visas, including renewals and first-time applicants. Amid widespread panic and chaos, the Trump administration clarified that the new fee requirement for H1B visas will not apply to current visa holders and is a one-time payment applicable only to new petitions. This procedure and process goes into effect in Febru

The group lost about $20 billion, over a fifth of this year's total decline, since Sept 19 after President Donald Trump tightened US work-visa rules, weighing on Tata Consultancy Services Ltd