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New Delhi: America’s largest technology companies secured the highest number of new H-1B visa approvals in the 2025 fiscal year, highlighting the growing demand for skilled foreign professionals in artificial intelligence and related fields. Data from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) shows Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Google taking the top four spots for initial employment approvals for the first time, with Apple placed sixth.
Amazon received 4,644 approvals, while Meta, Microsoft and Google followed with significantly lower but still dominant numbers. In contrast, Indian IT service providers saw their presence shrink sharply. Only Tata Consultancy Services, LTIMindtree and HCL America remained within the top 25 employers, with the top seven Indian firms collectively securing 4,573 approvals, a steep fall compared with a decade earlier.
The shift reflects a clear hiring push by US tech giants as they invest heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure and talent. Analysts note that these companies are focusing on developing advanced AI capabilities rather than seeking lower-cost labour abroad.
The report comes amid new restrictive measures proposed by the Trump administration, including a substantial entry fee for H-1B visa holders and upcoming rules that will raise wage thresholds and narrow eligibility criteria. Although denial rates remain far below previous highs, they edged up slightly to 2.8 per cent in 2025.
H-1B usage remains broad across the US workforce. More than 28,000 employers received at least one approval in the past year, and over half of those approvals went to firms filing 15 or fewer petitions. The findings also show strong job mobility among visa holders, with more than a third of new workers transferring from a previous employer.
Government data indicates that H-1B professionals in computer-related roles earn an average salary of $136,000, with most holding advanced degrees. Employers also face significant legal and processing fees that can reach tens of thousands of dollars over the span of a visa and green card sponsorship.
California recorded the highest number of approvals, followed by Texas, New York, New Jersey and Virginia. New York City led all US cities, with Arlington, Chicago and San Jose close behind. The professional and technical services sector remained the dominant user of the programme, while education, manufacturing, information technology and healthcare also relied heavily on foreign talent.
