H-1b Visa

PERM programme's suspension won't affect existing H-1B visas, clarifies MEA

MEA also objected to US Vice President JD Vance's description of H-1B workers as "foreign indentured servants", calling the terminology "deeply offensive" for its historical and colonial connotations

PERM suspension won't affect workforce strategy, customer engagements: TCS

The IT services major said its PERM applications were in single digits over the past two years and reiterated plans to hire 15,000 people in the US over five years

Trump honours Microsoft's CEO after Vance drops H-1B visa hammer on company

President Donald Trump celebrated tech billionaires such as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Thursday, only to get upstaged hours earlier when Vice President JD Vance announced that Microsoft was being suspended from a programme that allows companies to apply for green cards for skilled foreign workers with H-1B visas. The crackdown on Microsoft came under Vance's purview as the head of a fraud task force, but the targeting revealed the tension between the companies powering US economic growth and the administration's efforts to reduce immigration that it says has come at the expense of American workers. "Our message to Microsoft is: You're a great American company, but you've got to hire great American workers," Vance told a news conference. He said the company had abused the visa system. "You cannot lay off American workers and then replace them with foreign indentured servants." Vance said Microsoft last year fired 6,000 US workers but also obtained 6,300 H-1B visas and almost 3,00

80% of H-1B filings were for existing employees, not new hires: Microsoft

Microsoft has said 80 per cent of the 6000 H1-B visa applications it had submitted last fiscal year were to extend or change the status of existing employees and not to hire new people. The statement came on Thursday hours after Vice President J D Vance suspended Microsoft from a programme to apply for green cards for foreign workers, accusing it of abusing the system. "We believe in the strength and talent of the American workforce. That is why the vast majority of Microsoft employees in the US are Americans. We look forward to providing the administration with additional information," Microsoft said. "For example, of the approximately 6,000 H-1B visa applications we submitted in the last fiscal year, 80 per cent were to extend or change the status of existing Microsoft employees. These were not to hire new people," it said. The remaining filings for new employees were for individuals already legally in the United States who decided to come work for us, and they equal only one per

FIIDS backs tighter H-1B scrutiny, cautions against hurting US innovation

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) has welcomed tighter scrutiny of H-1B visa applications, but cautioned that it should not come at the cost of American innovation, as jobs requiring highly specialised skills cannot always be filled immediately from the available domestic labour pool. The statement from FIIDS, an advocacy group, came hours after US President Donald Trump tightened oversight of the H-1B visa programme, contending that it had been widely misused by certain employers, including IT outsourcing firms. FIIDS appreciates and understands the Administration's intent to protect America's national and economic interests, safeguard American workers, and address abuse of the H-1B programme. Those are legitimate objectives, Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy and Strategy at FIIDS, said in a statement on Friday. He said the ability of the US to attract exceptional talent has made it the world's leading innovation economy. Ajay Bhutoria, former advisor to .

H-1B scrutiny should not hurt US innovation, says Indian diaspora group

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) has welcomed tighter scrutiny of H-1B visa applications, but cautioned that it should not come at the cost of American innovation, as jobs requiring highly specialised skills cannot always be filled immediately from the available domestic labour pool. The statement from FIIDS, an advocacy group, came hours after US President Donald Trump tightened oversight of the H-1B visa programme, contending that it had been widely misused by certain employers, including IT outsourcing firms. "FIIDS appreciates and understands the Administration's intent to protect America's national and economic interests, safeguard American workers, and address abuse of the H-1B program. Those are legitimate objectives," Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy and Strategy at FIIDS, said in a statement on Friday. He said the ability of the US to attract exceptional talent has made it the world's leading innovation economy. "In fields such as artificial ...

Trump extends $100,000 H-1B visa fee requirement for another year

The payment requirement for employers seeking certain H-1B workers will remain until September 21, 2027, as the Trump administration appeals a court ruling against the policy

Proposed additional H-1B fee could push high-value jobs overseas: FIIDS

An Indian-American advocacy group has voiced concern over the proposed USD 103,265 additional fees for H1-B work visas, saying the move would push US jobs overseas. The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) said an extraordinary fee could make legitimate hiring economically impractical and unintentionally encourage companies to place high-value jobs overseas. The FIIDS statement came a day after the Department of Homeland Security proposed an additional USD 103,265 fee for all H1-B visa cap-subject applications, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption. "We recognise that DHS and USCIS need adequate resources to protect national security, prevent fraud and administer legal immigration. But a USD 103,265 H-1B fee could choke cash-strapped startups, while companies hiring thousands of H-1B workers could face hundreds of millions of dollars -- and potentially close to a billion dollars -- in additional costs," Khanderao Kand, Chief of Policy and ...

Indian IT firms have reduced dependency on H-1B visa, says Nasscom

Industry body says Indian IT firms have stepped up local hiring and invested over $1.1 billion in strengthening the US STEM pipeline amid proposed higher visa fees

India IT body urges US to weigh H-1B benefits as Trump proposes hefty fee

India's tech industry body Nasscom urged the U.S. to weigh the H-1B programme's role ​in addressing skill shortages after the Trump ​administration proposed a more than $100,000 fee for new visas

Trump administration moves to impose over $100K fee on H-1B worker visas

A federal judge in June ruled that the fee was illegal and blocked the ‌Trump administration from collecting it.

US expands 9-11 fee for H1-B, L-1 visa extension petitions from Sep 9

The US on Monday published new rules that would require large employers to pay a fee of USD 4,000 for H-1B and USD 4,500 for L-1 applications for extension of visas of their employees. Earlier, these fees were applicable only for initial H-1B and L-1 petitions or if the applicants changed jobs. Major Indian IT services and consulting providers rely on a blended onshore-offshore staffing model, bringing them within the ambit of the changed rule. The 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee, applicable to employers with 50 or more employees in the US if more than 50 per cent are in H-1B or L-1 nonimmigrant status, will come into effect from September 9, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said. The rule is likely to increase immigration sponsorship costs for technology companies; global consulting firms; IT services providers; multinational employers; and other organisations with a large number of H-1B and L-1 employees. Organisations filing routine extension requests for th

US Senator Alex Padilla renews push for green card bill for H-1B holders

A Democratic Senator has made a fresh bid to push a bill to provide a pathway to lawful permanent residency for millions of long-term US residents, including H-1B visa holders. California Senator Alex Padilla on Monday reiterated support for his 'Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929' bill, first introduced last year. The bill seeks to provide a "commonsense" fix to US' "outdated" immigration system to counter President Donald Trump's "systemic attacks" on migrants across the country. The legislation also seeks to allow long-term US residents to apply for permanent residency if they have lived in the country continuously for at least seven years before filing the application. "A year ago, I introduced this bill to push back against the Trump administration's cruel treatment of hardworking immigrants," Padilla said. "Since then, President Trump's campaign of fear has only escalated, with families living under constant uncertainty despite having built their

US appeals court refuses to revive Trump admin's $100,000 H-1B visa fee

A US federal appeals court has refused to stay a lower court order striking down the Trump administration's decision to impose a USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. The three-judge bench at the Boston-based First Circuit Court of Appeals denied the federal government's motion to stay US District Judge Leo T Sorokin's June 8 ruling that struck down the fee, terming it an unlawful tax not authorised by Congress. "...we deny the defendants' motion to stay pending appeal to this Court, the district court's June 8, 2026, Memorandum and Order and accompanying Judgment," the bench ruled on Friday. The judges agreed with the plaintiffs -- 20 Democrat-ruled states -- that "the question here is not whether Congress may delegate the authority in question. It is whether Congress has done so". President Donald Trump had issued a proclamation in September last year imposing a USD 100,000 fee for obtaining new H-1B visas. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that .

US federal judge strikes down Trump's proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee

A federal judge on Monday ruled that the USD 100,000 fee imposed by US President Donald Trump for H-1B applications was unlawful as it did not have the approval of Congress. "...the Court finds that the Policy imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by Congress," US District Court judge Leo Sorokin in Boston, Massachusetts, said in a ruling. The H-1B programme is one of the most sought-after US work visas that allows American companies to hire skilled global talent. Trump's order proposing a USD 100,000 annual fee per H-1B worker left many uncertain about visa reforms and new requirements. In September last year, Trump signed a proclamation adding the USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications. The fees are generally paid for by a sponsoring employer, and administration officials have cast it as an initiative to encourage companies to hire Americans instead. "Here, the substance and application of the USD 100,000 payment reveal that it is a tax, regard

Bill in US Congress seeks to end H-1B visa as route to green card

A hardline Republican lawmaker has introduced a draft legislation in the US Congress seeking an overhaul of the H-1B visa programme, including ending its use as a pathway to permanent residency in the United States. Congressman Chip Roy introduced the American White-Collar Worker Jobs Act on Thursday. The proposed legislation also seeks to scrap the optional practical training (OPT) programme, which allows foreign students to work in the US for a limited period after graduation. "For its nearly forty-year history, the H-1B visa has been abused, allowing employers to routinely sideline American STEM workers in favour of cheap foreign labour, while masking layoffs and wage suppression as 'shortages.' "It's time to end this lottery-based pipeline and replace it with a system that prioritises merit, enforces real wage standards, and puts American white-collar workers first," said Roy, who represents the 21st district of Texas in Congress. The bill is backed by US Tech Workers, the ...

US softens 'leave country' rule for getting Green Card with some exceptions

USCIS says applicants offering 'economic benefit' or serving 'national interest' may qualify for exemptions under stricter overseas Green Card processing policy

H-1B registrations down; more approvals for higher degrees, salaries

Registrations for H-1B visas dropped by 38.5 per cent in fiscal year 2027 with the US saying it had approved more applicants with advanced degrees and higher salaries of those "making a real impact on the economy." The decision by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is likely to affect the Indians the most, who made up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years. In a post on X on Thursday, the USCIS said only 17.7 per cent of all selected registrations were in the lowest wage category. "The number of properly submitted registrations plummeted by 38.5 per cent, from 3,43,981 in fiscal year 2026 to just 2,11,600 in fiscal year 2027," the USCIS said. Nearly three-fourths of the applications approved were of persons holding masters degrees or higher, the USCIS said. "We're approving more applicants with advanced degrees and higher salaries especially those who studied at US universities. An overwhelming 71.5 per cent of selected aliens

H-1B visa workers are not undercutting US peers; they aren't cheap labour

Salaries of foreign professionals are higher than those of their American counterparts, particularly in the tech industry

As US visa policies tighten, international students find job market tougher

And Homeland Security has indefinitely paused the processing of visa applications for people from 39 countries