H-1B visa registrations plunge amid fee hike
H-1B visa registrations for the US have dropped by nearly 27% this year, with only about 344,000 eligible applications compared to over 470,000 last year. USCIS says tougher rules, higher fees, and ongoing fraud checks are behind the decline.
Unique beneficiary registrations fell by over 20%
Unique beneficiary registrations also fell by over 20%, and there were fewer duplicate applications per person than before. Out of all entries, just around 120,000 were picked for the next stage—even though only 85,000 spots are available—since not everyone will qualify or follow through.
Indian IT professionals, US tech companies eyeing other options
This sharp drop is making things tougher for Indian IT professionals and US tech companies that rely on them. With stricter processes and rising costs in the US, some are now eyeing countries like Australia or Germany instead—hinting at a possible shift in where global tech talent heads next.