H-1B petitions approved for Indian tech firms drop to 10-year low amid AI push

The top seven India-based IT companies got only 4,573 H-1B petitions approved for new employment in FY 2025, a 70% drop since 2015 and 37% fewer than in 2024, according to the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). Experts note that Indian IT firms are using fewer H-1B visas, while US companies are investing billions in artificial intelligence (AI) and hiring foreign-born talent, including recent graduates, to build AI capabilities in the US.

TCS was the only Indian IT firm among the top five for continuing-employment approvals. However, the company also saw its extension rejection rate rise to 7% in 2025, up from 4% in 2024, notably higher than its peers.

The denial rate for H-1B petitions for "continuing" employment (primarily for existing employees) was 1.9% in FY 2025, almost identical to the denial rate of 1.8% in FY 2024, and lower than the 2.4% rate in FY 2023, according to NFAP.