H-1B Visa

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

US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday showered praise on his Indian-origin in-laws, saying they exemplify how immigrants have “enriched” the United States,

Proposed changes to H-1B wage norms could raise foreign worker pay by up to $14,000, even as applications fall sharply amid higher costs and tighter immigration rules

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

The H-1B visa program is a cornerstone of employment-based immigration, allowing companies in the US to hire college-educated foreign workers for specialized occupations

Since US immigration laws opened in 1965, Indian Americans have emerged as one of the country's most successful migrant groups, excelling in income, education and high-paying professions

The US has replaced random H-1B selection with a wage-weighted lottery and a new $100,000 fee for applications, raising uncertainty for students and junior hires, experts say

Indian ITeS should have moved away from the H-1B lottery

The United States has scrapped the H-1B visa lottery and replaced it with a skill- and wage-based selection system.

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

India's USD 280-billion IT industry heads into 2026, balancing visa-related headwinds and global trade uncertainty against its biggest-ever push into artificial intelligence and the rapid expansion of global capability centres (GCCs). Heightened scrutiny of the US H-1B visa programme - including a proposed USD 100,000 fee for new visas and concerns over a potential 25 per cent outsourcing tax - has complicated cross-border delivery for Indian firms, even as companies accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on onsite staffing. The US remains the sector's largest export market. The visa proposals triggered market volatility in late 2025, disrupting travel plans and denting IT stocks, before partial clarifications offered limited relief. Fresh concerns have since emerged around social media screening and unpredictable processing delays. Analysts warn that sharply higher visa costs could add hundreds of millions of dollars to expenses for large IT firms, reinforcing the shift toward ...

Some US embassies and consulates face visa appointment delays of up to 12 months, the memo said, warning that international travel will 'risk an extended stay outside the US'

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

The Trump administration has tightened checks on H-1B visa applicants once again. This time, even your LinkedIn activity and content moderation history could determine your eligibility. Here’s what’s

Nasscom President Rajesh Nambiar says recent US H-1B visa changes will have little effect on large Indian IT firms, as companies have already boosted local hiring and are preparing for new rules

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

Chinese student numbers in the US have dropped again as tougher visa rules, stricter checks and growing security concerns push more students to look for study options